70 Clavarias of the United States and Canada 



Plates 9, 16-19, and 83 



Remarkably variable in both form and color. The typical 

 form is whitish or pallid, slender, narrow, about 2-3 mm. thick 

 below and 3-6 cm. high, long-stalked ,\vith a few or several 

 branches which are rather abruptly crested at the ends with small, 

 pointed, more or less crowded branchlets; sometimes there is a 

 single slender stalk with a dense crest at the tip, or there may be 

 several stalks attached near the base and these may branch near 

 the middle. Other forms besides the typical are also included in 

 the following notes. At times none of the branches is crested or 

 some may be crested and others not; also the stem may be very 

 short and the branches numerous and forming a contorted tuft 

 or the stem may be much flattened and expanded upwards, with 

 a few irregular flat branches, or with no branches but rugose- 

 wrinkled or knobbed. The tip is sometimes flattened and ex- 

 panded like an antler, and in less complex forms the plants are apt 

 to be somewhat enlarged and flattened upwards. Color white at 

 base and usually light grayish flesh color elsewhere except the tips 

 which are creamy white when young, then becoming colored more 

 like the branches and easily blackening after maturity. The color 

 varies from dull or creamy white to lavender-gray ( or with a tint 

 of this color with tan) or smoky lavender, pale to deep mouse 

 gray, ash color, drab, or dull yellow with all admixtures of these 

 colors ; surface even below, more or less channelled and wrinkled 

 upwards. Flesh dry, toughish, not brittle, bending on itself with- 

 out a complete break, creamy white, softer inside, and usually 

 with one or two small uneven cavities in center from the separa- 

 tion of the fibers ; odor almost none, taste mild, not very pleasant, 

 somewhat bitterish musty, at times a little like that of Agaricus 

 campcstris. 



Spores (of No. 2221) when fresh pure white, smooth, regular, 

 subspherical to short-elliptic, 5.2-7.4 x 7-9. 2\x; after standing for 

 some time they become yellowish and often irregular by collapsing. 

 Basidia two-spored in all forms, the long stout sterigmata usually 

 curved inward. Hymenium of No. 4561 thick (110-165(jl) and 

 with many spores irregularly embedded through most of its area, 

 indicating a great increase in thickness by irregular proliferation. 

 In No. 4899 the hymenium is much thinner (50-60[/.) and there are 

 few or no more embedded spores than would naturally be dragged 

 in by the knife. 



Common in deciduous or coniferous woods on earth or humus, 

 often in thin grass in groves or lawns and rarely on very rotten 



