Clavulina cristata

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***Clavulina cristata***, commonly known as the **white coral fungus** or the **crested coral fungus**, is a white- or light-colored edible coral mushroom present in temperate areas of the Americas and Europe. It is the type species of the genus *Clavulina*.

The commonly used species name *cristata* was coined in 1790 by Danish mycologist Theodor Holmskjold (as *Ramaria cristata*). However, Linnaeus described apparently the same fungus as ***Clavaria coralloides*** in Species plantarum in 1753. Therefore, according to the *International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants*, the name *Clavulina coralloides* should be used in preference to *Clavulina cristata*, although the latter name is in more common use.

## Description

Fruit bodies, which are generally white- to cream-colored, can be up to Template:Convert tall, and Template:Convert broad. The coral "arms" are sparingly branched (3–4 times), 2–4 mm wide, smooth, and sometimes wrinkled longitudinally. The tips are cristate, having small pointed projections, and will often darken with age or in dry weather. The fruit bodies have no distinctive odor, and a mild taste.

The fruit bodies may have a darker color either due to natural variation (whereby the appearance of this species may approach and be confused with *C. cinerea*) or because of infection by a microscopic fungus, *Helminthosphaeria clavariarum*.

### Microscopic features

The spores are white, roughly spherical, thick-walled, non-amyloid, smooth, and have dimensions of 7–11 by 6–10 µm. Basidia are club-shaped, 60–80 by 6–8 µm, and 2-spored. Cystidia are absent. Sterigmata, the slender projections of the basidium that bear the spores, may be straight or curved, and up to 7–8 µm long.

 File:Clavulina cristata spore.png
## Habitat

*Clavulina cristata* is found growing solitary or in clusters on the ground (sometimes on rotten wood) in both coniferous and hardwood forests. It is a common mushroom, and typically fruits from late summer to winter.

## Edibility

This fungus is edible, but the tough flesh and insubstantial fruit bodies make it unappetizing for some individuals. It is considered excellent by many.

## Lookalikes

Several other coral fungi have overall appearances similar to *Clavulina cristata*, making identification confusing. *Clavulina rugosa* is unbranched or sparingly branched. *Clavulina cinerea* is usually darker in color. *Ramaria stricta* has parallel branches and grows on wood.

## Chemistry

In addition to the major fatty acid components, palmitic acid, oleic acid and linoleic acid, *C. cristata* contains two unusual fatty acids, *cis*-9, *cis*-14-octadecadien-12-ynoic acid, and the conjugated *cis*-9, *trans*-11, *trans*-13, *cis*-15-octadecatetraenoic acid (commonly known as α-parinaric acid). *C. cristata* is the only fungi known to contain α-parinaric acid.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Template:Cite book
2. ↑ See bottom of p. 1182 of Carolus Linnaeus "Species Plantarum, exhibentes ..." (1753), available on-line at the Missouri Botanical Garden's digital library.
3. ↑ See the Index Fungorum entry.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 See Kuo, M. (2007, April) the MushroomExpert.Com Web site entry: [1].
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Template:Cite book
6. ↑ Template:Cite bookGoogle Books
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Template:Cite book
8. ↑ Template:Cite book Google Books
9. ↑ Template:Cite book
10. ↑ Template:Cite book Google Books
11. ↑ Template:Cite book
12. ↑ Template:Cite book
13. ↑ Endo S, Zhiping G, Takagi T. (1991). Lipid components of seven species of Basidiomycotina and three species of Ascomycotina. *Journal of the Japan Oil Chemists' Society* **40**(7): 574–77.
14. ↑ Endo S. (1997). Vegetables are a treasurehouse of effective lipid sources. *Nihon yukagaku kaishi* **46**(10): 1247–256. Abstract

## External links

Template:Commons category

* Template:IndexFungorum
* California Fungi
* Mushroom Expert

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