Clavaria zollingeri

Morphological Features:

Basidiocarp composed of branched fruiting structures, often branching from the base, some simple and others again branched or forked. It reaches a height of no more than 7 to 8 cm, and extends in width by about the same amount at most. It exhibits a striking amethyst or purple color, similar to lavender flowers, when the specimen is young and hydrated; as it ages, it becomes less conspicuous, turning pale lilac and even developing flesh-toned hues. The branch tips, although they may fork, are generally truncate.

Hymenium immersed within the pileipellis of the basidiocarp.

Stipe mostly absent; when present, it is paler than the rest of the basidiocarp, even grayish.

Flesh lilac in color and of scant consistency, somewhat firm but brittle with relative ease, with nothing notable regarding odor or taste.

Habitat:

There is some confusion regarding the habitat of this species due to its misidentification with other species. We believe it is a fungus that fruits in grassy areas, particularly pasture meadows, and may also be found in nitrogen-enriched gardens or cemeteries. It is an autumnal and very rare fungus, difficult to locate.

Observations:

It can be confused with three species, primarily due to color similarity. One of them is Ramaria fumigata, which, however, possesses a white stipe at the base from which the lilac branches emerge, hence it is classified as Ramaria rather than Clavaria. On the other hand, there is Alloclavaria purpurea, with watery purple flesh that appears somewhat translucent, and Clavulina amethystina, from which it differs only by its habitat under deciduous trees and its microscopic characteristics, as the latter predominantly features bispored basidia and possesses significantly larger spores.