Clavulina cinerea - Grey Coral

Taxonomy

Phylum: Basidiomycota

Class: Agaricomycetes

Order: Cantharellales

This grey coral-like fungus is often found growing beside footpaths in woodland in summer and autumn. The flattened, antler-like branches can be up to 10cm tall. It is an edible species.

Look out also for a purple-tinged form of the same fungus: the colour change is due to a fungal attack by Helminthosphaeria clavariorum, which in some places dominates so that the grey form of this coral is rarely in ever seen.

Identification guide

Description	Ash grey or grey-brown, occasionally tinged with lilac, this very coral-like fungus has flattened branches with rounded ends rather than forked tips.
Size	The whole fruitbody is 3 to 10cm tall, and usually of similar or slightly smaller width. The individual stems are typically 6 to 10mm across their major diameter.
Spore print	White.
Odour/taste	Not distinctive.
Habitat	On the ground beneath deciduous trees and less frequently under conifers; usually where there is a build up of leaf litter.
Season	July to November.
Occurrence	Fairly common.
Similar species	Clavulina rugosa is smaller with one or just a few club-like branches with blunt tips.