Phaeoclavulina abietina

Species characteristic of coniferous forests, particularly fir woods in montane areas among needle litter, with coralloid fruitbodies, yellowish with olivaceous tones, 3 to 6 cm high, arising from a common basal stalk, with a mild odour and slightly bitter taste.

Hyphal system monomitic; contextual hyphae hyaline, 3 to 7 µm wide, thick-walled, sparsely septate with conspicuous clamp connections; hymenial hyphae narrower, thin-walled, 1.5 to 3 µm wide, septate with clamps.

Cystidia or other sterile hymenial elements absent.

Basidia cylindrical-clavate, 55 to 60 µm long, 5 to 6.5 µm wide, clamped at the base, 4-spored.

Spores cylindrical to pip-shaped/amygdaliform, with a distinctly pointed apicular end, moderately thick-walled and verrucose, very pale yellowish under the microscope, 7 to 9 µm long, 3 to 5 µm wide, inamyloid in Melzer's reagent.