Clavarias of the United States and Canada 9 



into lines or areas among the branches. Texture fleshy and 

 brittle or waxy, or often toughish and flexible, but not truly 

 leathery or hard. Spores white or yellowish to brown, smooth or 

 rough to asperulate. Basidia 2-4-spored, clavate. Cystidia absent 

 in nearly all species, but well developed in C. pyxidata. Hymenium 

 usually simple, but in a number of species doubled or even quad- 

 rupled by the laying down of new layers over the old, as in many 

 polypores. Saprophitic, or in a few species parasitically associated 

 with algae. 



The Clavarias vary greatly in form and size from very small 

 simple clubs or rods to large coral-like masses weighing several 

 pounds. Most of the larger and a number of the smaller ones 

 grow on the ground, but many species grow on rotting leaves or 

 on wood. The stem, if present, is not sharply marked off as a 

 rule from the spore-bearing part of the plant, but is usually sterile, 

 as is shown under a lens by the appearance of its surface, which 

 is different from the more waxy hymenium above. In a few 

 species, however, the stem is distinctly indicated by a different 

 color or an abrupt reduction in size or by both. 



Most of the species are tender and may be used for food if 

 large enough, but they vary decidedly in palatability, and some 

 are apparently unwholesome. Those that we have found to be 

 very good and that have the best reputation for food are C. 

 botrytis, C. flava, and their kin. Only one (C. dicJiotoma) has 

 been reported as causing sickness (Leuba, Champ. Comest., p. 77). 

 It is probably a form of C. cinerea ( C. cristata). It is to be noted, 

 however, that Quelet seems to consider many Clavarias as un- 

 wholesome (Apergu Qualites Utiles ou Nuisibles des Champ., p. 

 12. 1884. Abstract from Mem. Soc. Sci. phys. et nat. Bordeaux, 

 3rd ser., 2). Mcllvaine (Am. Fungi, p. 513) has tested many 

 of the Clavarias and does not find any of them dangerous. Of 

 C. cinerea he speaks most highly, while some European authors 

 regard it as unwholesome. Among edible mushrooms of New 

 York Peck includes C. botrytis, C. flava, and C. cristata to repre- 

 sent the genus (Rept. N. Y. St. Mus. 48: 307. 1895. 2nd ed., p. 

 209, pi. 39. 1897). He remarks that no poisonous species are 

 known. Later (Mem. N. Y. St. Mus. 3, No. 4: 178, pi. 66. 

 1900) he illustrates C. pistillaris among edible species and regards 

 it as a luxury, as does also Mcllvaine. 



