REPORT OF THE STATE BOTANI8T 



309 



Clavaria botrytes Pers. 

 Red-tipped Clavaria. 



Plate 39. Figs. 5 to 7. 



Stem short, thick, fleshy, whitish, much branched ; branches 

 often somewhat rugose- wrinkled, repeatedly branched, the tips 

 red ; spores oblong- elliptical, .0005 to .0006 in. long. 



The Red-tipped clavaria differs but little from the preceding 

 species in size and structure, but is easily distinguished by the 

 red tips of the branches. The color elsewhere may be whitish 

 or yellow or pinkish. When old the tips sometimes fade, and 

 then it is less easy to separate this species from the Pale-yellow 

 clavaria. The branches are sometimes longitudinally wrinkled. 

 It grows in thin woods and open places, and may be found in wet 

 weather in July, August and September. Nearly all mycologists 

 agree in classing this among the edible species. They ascribe to it 

 delicious qualities and an agreeable flavor. Unfortunately ,'it is 

 not very common in our State. 



Clavaria cristata Pers. 

 Crested Clavaria. 



Plate 39. Figs. 8 to 12. ] 



Stem rather slender, even, tenacious, stuffed, branched; 

 branches dilated above, acutely incised or crested, the tips gener- 

 ally becoming brown with age ; spores globose or broadly ellip- 

 tical, white, .00025 to .0003 in. long. 



The Crested clavaria is smaller than either of the two species 

 ilready described, but it is much more abundant. It is not often 

 nore than two or two and a half inches high, but it often grows 

 n tufts as broad as they are high. It varies in color, but is com- 

 nonly white or whitish. Sometimes it has a dingy look as if it 

 lad been smoked. Again it is faintly tinged with dull pink or 

 ;reamy-yellow. It is easily recognized by the peculiar tips of the 

 )ranches. These are rather slender and acute or pointed, and 

 iometimes so numerous as to give a crested appearance to the 

 ipically-flattened branch they terminate. ' When old they usu- 

 illy turn brown or blackish-brown at the tips. Unusual forms 

 >f the plant occur in which these acute terminal branchlets are 

 ranting. The branches then end abruptly in a blunt point. 

 J erhaps these forms are referable to C. coralloides, but that is 

 escribed as having the tips of the branches acute. 



