CHAPTER VII: FAIRY CLUBS AND CORAL 

 FUNGI— CLAVARIACE.^ 



The fairy dubs and coral fungi belong to the family Clava- 

 riacecB. They are fleshy fungi of upright growth, which have 

 their spore-bearing surface exposed on the apices of branching 

 or simple club-like forms. Many are extremely beautiful, re- 

 sembling corals of exquisite shades of pink, violet, yellow, or 

 white. 



The seven genera are distinguished by the colour of the 

 spores, by their habit of growth — whether simple or branched, 

 and, if branching, by the form of the branches ; whether club- 

 like or thread-like, flat or round, cartilaginous or leathery. Many 

 of the members of this family are edible, and none are known to 

 be unwholesome, so that it will be safe for a beginner to try any 

 of them. 



GENUS PHYSALACRIA 



Plant small, simple, hollow, and enlarged at the apex. 



GENUS PISTILLARIA 



Plants conspicuous, club-shaped or thread-like, with two 

 spicules to each spore-bearing cell. 



GENUS TYPHULA 



Plants conspicuous, club-shaped or thread-like, with four 

 spicules to each spore-bearing cell. 



Ciav'-ar'-I-a'-5e-£ Phys-a-Ia'-cri-a PIs-tH-la'-ri-a Typh'-u-la 



98 



