How to identify White Spindly Coral

To correctly identify White Spindly Coral (Clavulina coralloides), check each of these features in order. Misidentification is the most common cause of mushroom poisoning, so cross-reference multiple sources.

Step-by-step identification

1. 1

   Cap

   Shape, color, surface texture, and diameter.

   Not applicable, as this is a coral fungus and does not have a distinct cap.

2. 2

   Gills

   Attachment to stem, color, and spacing.

   Not applicable, as this is a coral fungus and does not have gills.

3. 3

   Stem

   Length, shape, surface, and any ring.

   The base of the fruiting body is often a short, indistinct, common stalk that branches almost immediately from the substrate. It is concolorous with the branches.

4. 4

   Flesh

   Color, texture, and bruising reaction.

   The flesh is white, brittle, and lacks a distinctive odor or taste.

5. 5

   Fruiting body

   Overall growth pattern.

   The fruiting body is erect, highly branched, and coral-like, typically 2-10 cm tall and 2-8 cm wide. It is white to cream-colored, sometimes with yellowish or grayish tints, especially with age or bruising. The branches are slender, often flattened, and terminate in blunt, crested, or comb-like tips. The texture is brittle when fresh, becoming more fragile when dry.

6. 6

   Habitat

   Where it grows and on what substrate.

   Saprobic, growing on the ground, often among moss, leaf litter, or on well-rotted wood in coniferous and mixed forests. It can be found solitarily or in scattered groups.

Key Facts

Cap surfaces

Not applicable

Growth Form

Coral-like, branched

Spore Print

White

Body color

White to cream, sometimes yellowish or grayish

Odor

Indistinct

Flesh bruises

Does not bruise significantly, may yellow slightly with age

Height

2-10 cm

Cap Diameter

Not applicable

Fruit body characteristics

• Gill attachment: Not applicable
• Stem shape: Indistinct, branching from base
• Stem surface: Smooth
• Ring: Absent
• Stem cross-section: Not applicable

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