Ramaria formosa
Fl. Myc. 466. 1888.
Common Name: none
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Description
For descriptions see Exeter et al. & 'California Mushrooms'.
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Habitat
Scattered to gregarious in soil in mixed hardwood-conifer forests, especially with Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla); common, fruiting from fall through mid-winter in northern coastal forests and in the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Ranges.
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Edibility
Unclear. Ramaria formosa has been reported to cause gastrointestinal problems in some people, but the name has been applied to several distinct species.
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Comments
Ramaria formosa can be distinguished by its massive white stipe that stains brown when handled or with age and pink branches with yellowish tips. Also its broad spores (4.5–6 μm) with coarse ornamentation, non-gelatinous tissues with clamped hyphae and inamyloid stipe tissue is distinctive Similarly colored species include R. cystidiophora var. anisata, with a strong anise-like odor, narrower stipe, and smaller spores; R. maculatipes, with fruitbodies that stain dark red, amyloid stipe tissues, and finely ornamented spores; R. rubricarnata var. verna, with a yellow band around the upper stipe and lower branches, amyloid stipe tissues, and vernal fruiting habit; and R. conjunctipes var. tsugensis, with numerous narrow stipes fused at the base, shorter spores, and unclamped hyphae.
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References
Ammirati, J.F., Traquair, J.A. & Horgen, P.A. (1985). Poisonous Mushrooms of the Northern United States and Canada. University of Minnesota Press: Minneapolis, MN. 396 p.
Arora, D. (1986). Mushrooms Demystified. Ten Speed Press: Berkeley, CA. 959 p.
Breitenbach, J. & Kränzlin, F. (1986). Fungi of Switzerland. Volume 2: Non-Gilled Fungi. Verlag Mykologia: Luzern, Switzerland. 412 p.
Corner, E.J.H. (1950). A Monograph of Clavaria and Allied Genera. Oxford University Press: London, England. 740 p.
Desjardin, D.E., Wood, M.G. & Stevens, F.A. (2015). California Mushrooms: The Comprehensive Identification Guide. Timber Press: Portland, OR. 560 p.
Ellis, M.B. & Ellis, J.P. (1990). Fungi without Gills (Hymenomycetes and Gasteromycetes). Chapman and Hall: London, England. 329 p.
Exeter, R.L., Norvell, L. & Cázares, E. (2006). Ramaria of the Pacific Northwestern United States. United States Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management: Salem, OR. 157 p. (PDF)
Marr, C.D. & Stuntz, D.E. (1973). Ramaria of Western Washington (Bibliotheca Mycologica, Band 38). J. Cramer: Vaduz, Liechtenstein. 232 p.
Siegel, N. & Schwarz, C. (2016). Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast. Ten Speed Press: Berkeley, CA. 601 p. -
Other Descriptions and Photos
- Fred Stevens: Ramaria formosa (CP)
- Ronald L. Exeter: Ramaria formosa (CP)
- Ronald L. Exeter: Ramaria formosa (CP)
- Ronald L. Exeter: Ramaria formosa (CP)
- Currie D. Marr: Ramaria formosa (CP)
- Mushroom Observer: Ramaria formosa (CP)
- Roger's Mushrooms: Ramaria formosa (D & CP)
- Cercle de Mycologie de Mons: Ramaria formosa (CP)
- Arora (1986): p. 654 (D & P)
- Lincoff: p. 408 (D), pl. 746 ((CP)
- Miller: sp. 273 (D & CP)
- Orr & Orr: p. 67 (D), pl. 19 (CP)
- Smith & Weber: sp. 46 (D & CP)
- Tylutki (1987): p. 126 (D), p. 127 (P)
