Ramaria praecox

A spring species associated with coniferous forests, especially pines, with coralloid fruit bodies 4 to 12 cm in diameter, yellow to yellowish brown, with dense abundant branches ending in short, blunt tips; fragile flesh, with an indistinct fungal odor and mild to slightly bitter taste.

Hyphal system monomitic, with cylindrical generative hyphae, thin- to moderately thick-walled, 2.5 to 6 µm wide, septate with simple septa (without clamp connections).

Cystidia absent.

Basidia clavate, 25 to 40 µm long, 4.5 to 7 µm wide, with abundant refringent granular content inside, simple-based (clampless) and four-spored.

Spores cylindrical-ellipsoidal, moderately thick-walled and slightly verrucose, pale greyish yellow under the microscope, with a pointed end where the apiculus is located, 11 to 14 µm long, 4 to 5 µm wide, covered with dense warts, and inamyloid in Melzer's reagent.

Herbarium material available: JTP2794/26.