Clavariaceae.org
Clavulinopsis subgenus Clavulinopsis
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This subgenus includes the type species, Clavulinopsis sulcata, and is characterized by minutely apiculate, thin-walled spores that are invariably globose to subglobose in the well known species (Figure 1) though some poorly known species are reported to have spores tending toward the ellipsoid spectrum). This is not a particularly useful character for field identification unless you have very good eyesight so don't worry, there are some other clues that can be pieced together to arrive here with out laborious microscopy. Fruiting bodies are typically large and "inflating" with brightly colored hymenia in the red-orange-pink-yellow series though there are pale to white representatives (e.g., Cu. bicolor). These pigments appear to be chemically different from those found in other subgenera of Clavulinopsis (carotenoids) and fade drastically in herbarium specimens which makes screening preserved collections easy (Figure 2). This can sometimes be seen in the field in somewhat dry conditions and helps differentiate yellow representatives from the macroscopically similar Clavulinopsis species in subgenera (e.g., fusiformis groups, laeticolor group, and a (sub)simple corniculata-related species found in Western North America).
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Figure 1. Comparison of the apiculus between subgenus Clavulinopsis and subgenus Acularia. A. Small, "papillate" apiculus diagnostic of subgenus Clavulinopsis (Cu. aurantiocinnabarina complex: JMB081223-4/iNat 178452312. B. Large, "conical" apiculus (a somewhat exagerated example) typical of subgenera Acularia and Donkella (Clavulinopsis fusiformis complex: Buck Raeder 05202309/iNat 162717778). Note: The spores of subgenus Paraclavaria are typically intermediate in size and not pictured here.
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Figure 2. Comparison of the color of fresh and dried fruiting bodies showing the change in color intensity. A. Clavulinopsis aurantiocinnabarina group fresh (JMB081223-4/iNat 178452312), B. Clavulinopsis aurantiocinnabarina group dried (JMB081223-4/iNat 178452312), C. Clavulinopsis laeticolor group fresh (JMB081223-18/iNat 178452361), D. Clavulinopsis laeticolor group dried (JMB081223-18/iNat 178452361)
This assemblage was noted as homogenous and uniquely difficult to parse in Clavulinopsis due to the near invariability in microscopic features but the strikingly wide range of color variation lead to tension between splitting every color-morphology or lumping them all under one "mega-species" of sorts with mycological heavy-weights like Petersen and Corner never quite arriving at a satisfactory conclusion. The question remains whether discrete categories can be distinguishing based on color, but this will have to be done very carefully as the color begins to fade very quickly in dry conditions and after picking if not transported with humidity.
Interestingly, this subgenus appears to be circumglobal EXCEPT for Western North America and Europe where no reports are currently known. The subgenus appears to be exceptionally prolific in Eastern Asia through Australasia and in Eastern North America. It is present but less well known in South/Central Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, Central America, and South America.
The two most commonly used names are: Clavulinopsis aurantiocinnabarina (represented in the phylogeny by about 6 different species level clades) and Clavulinopsis sulcata (with sequences in 4 different locations in the phylogeny). Otherwise, there are many names published from East Asia through Australasia that need clarification.
Phylogeny Reconstructed using the ITS region
appalachiensis/subaustralis?
sp.
sp.
Clavulinopsis appalachiensis/subaustralis
This species is distinguished from other Clavulinopsis species by its softer colors in the peachy-salmony range with a somewhat more intensely colored sterile portion in the orange range though also sometimes lemon colored (maybe I am hungry but this sure is a food-centric range of colors here: Easy Citrus Salmon, Peach Glazed Salmon). It also grows in single or in small clusters, never(?) cespitose as often seen in the Cu. aurantiocinnabarina complex.
The name Cu. appalachiensis (Coker) Corner is being used for this organism and I tentatively agree but think that a detail comparison with Cu. subaustralis R.H. Petersen should be presented:
Souces: Coker 1923, Petersen 1968 and 1971
What I think becomes apparent is that the species typically collected and referred to as Cu. appalachiensis matches the coloration described for Cu. subaustralis better. The questions then follow: How consistent are colors in this group? Is the color description for Cu. appalachiensis correct? How consistent a character is the inconstancy of clamp connections at the contextual septa?
Colors do vary based on moisture alone and some collections tend toward the yellow end of them spectrum. In fact, the tendency of species in the subgenus to fade to much paler colors when dried could be responsible for the very pale yellow colors described by Coker in the protologue of Cu. appalachiensis. Petersen notes that dried specimens of Cu. subaustralis become "cream buff or cream color" in the protologue of his species.
What to do about the character of clamp connection constancy. It may not be that constant after all. Completely clampless versions of otherwise clamped species of Clavulinopsis are known (Petersen 1978) though a partially clamped state has not been reported to my knowledge, until possibly now. A more thorough study of specimens, particularly those putatively with prevalent clamp connections (identified as Cu. subaustralis), may help elucidate this situation.
With all this in mind, I think it is reasonable to consider these two species conspecific which would give Cu. appalachiensis priority. Specimens with colors typical of Cu. subaustralis but with the clamp inconstancy, otherwise a unique character(?) of Cu. appalachiensis, seem to support this, especially given the possibility of the miss-application of the dried color of the latter species to that of its fresh state. I cannot, however, rule out that there may be a separate, related species, sharing clamp inconstancy which does indeed have a very pale yellow coloration in its fresh condition, lacking pink colors, better matching Coker's species and leaving this species more likely with the name Cu. subaustralis.
A collection from Florida may be conspecific. It has >98.5/<90.0% similarity to the other ITS regions.
Distribution: Originally described from North Carolina and Pennsylvania, it is now known from Tennessee, New York, and possibly Florida. Apparently uncommon to rare.
Verified Collections
Click on the collections below to see link to verified observations (if applicable on iNaturalist or Mushroom Observer).
Genus | species | Type | Collection | Herbarium | Location | ITS Genbank | Certainty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Clavulinopsis | appalachiensis | JMB08171001 | - | - | Need | High | |
Clavulinopsis | appalachiensis | FLAS-F-61269 | FLAS-F-61269 | USA-FL | MH399871.1 | Possible | |
Clavulinopsis | appalachiensis | iNat 105285185 | - | USA-IN | Need | High | |
Clavulinopsis | appalachiensis | OSF2021-266. 01451 | - | USA-IN | OM809324.1 | High | |
Clavulinopsis | appalachiensis | EBL9834 | TENN-F-058813 | USA-NC | Need | High | |
Clavulinopsis | appalachiensis | DMc95 | - | USA-NY | Need | High | |
Clavulinopsis | appalachiensis | iNAT.15755704 | - | USA-NY | MZ171335.1 | High | |
Clavulinopsis | appalachiensis | MF07565 | - | USA-NY | MZ318380.1 | High | |
Clavulinopsis | appalachiensis | 5091 | - | USA-PA | OP749256.1 | High | |
Clavulinopsis | appalachiensis | JMB08101207 | TENN-F-067681 | USA-TN | Need | High | |
Clavulinopsis | appalachiensis | MO380231 | TENN.074980 | USA-TN | MT196965.1 | High | |
Clavulinopsis | appalachiensis | JK495 / iNat 134128518 | TENN-F-077735 | USA-TN | Need | High |
Clavulinopsis aurantiocinnabarina group
The species "Clavaria aurantio-cinnabarina" was somewhere around the 8th species of clavarioid fungus described from the United States by Lewis David de Schweinitz (1832), the first American mycologists. He described a large, fasciculate, flexuous, compressed (up to 2.5 cm), fusiform but obtuse, orange to cinnabar colored, unbranched clavarioid with a white pruinose to subbyssoid base on bare soil near Rhododendron on the campus of Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. This group of species exhibits some of the most beautiful and striking colors in the fungal world, rivaled by only some species of Cantharellus and Hygrophoraceae in my opinion.
While this group is strikingly recognizable, the differences between the species are less so. Hopefully with careful study differences can be found. If they exist, they are not readily recognizable. Please, let me know if know how to tell them apart! Would the real Cu. aurantiocinnabarina please stand up?
Distribution: Species in this group are found through-out the Eastern United States east of the great plains, extending up into Eastern and Maritime Canada. Quite common. The name has occasionally been applied to Asian organisms.
Observations and notes for each member so far known are listed below
Clavulinopsis aurantiocinnabarina NN01
The two collections with photographs of a very orange species, though both are a bit dry. They both seem to have a somewhat noticeable, orange sterile portion.
Distribution: This species appears widely distributed across the Eastern United States from Florida up to New York.
Verified Occurrences
Click on the collections below to see link to verified observations (if applicable on iNaturalist or Mushroom Observer).
Genus | species | Type | Collection | Herbarium | Location | ITS Genbank | Certainty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Clavulinopsis | aurantiocinnabarina NN01 | FLAS-F-69299 | FLAS-F-69299 | USA-FL | OQ725183.1 | Possible | |
Clavulinopsis | aurantiocinnabarina NN01 | AO20 | - | USA-IN | ON650113.1 | Certain | |
Clavulinopsis | aurantiocinnabarina NN01 | 23983 | - | USA-NY | ON416905.1 | Certain |
Clavulinopsis aurantiocinnabarina NN02
This group is based on four collections of mine from the Southern Appalachians. My brief notes indicate that these were "orange", and I don't have much more until I can find the full descriptions.
Distribution: The four collections of mine are all from Tennessee but there is no reason at this point to assume it is an endemic. Sequencing of a lot more "aurantiocinnabarina" need to be done before these things can be sorted out.
Verified Occurrences
Click on the collections below to see link to verified observations (if applicable on iNaturalist or Mushroom Observer).
Genus | species | Type | Collection | Herbarium | Location | ITS Genbank | Certainty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Clavulinopsis | aurantiocinnabarina NN02 | JMB08071204 | TENN-F-067402 | USA-TN | Need | Certain | |
Clavulinopsis | aurantiocinnabarina NN02 | JMB08171004 | TENN | USA-TN | Need | Certain | |
Clavulinopsis | aurantiocinnabarina NN02 | JMB08240901 | TENN | USA-TN | Need | Certain | |
Clavulinopsis | aurantiocinnabarina NN02 | JMB08061204 | TENN-F-067586 | USA-TN | Need | Certain |
Clavulinopsis aurantiocinnabarina NN03
This group is composed of two collections from the Southern Appalachians. My collection had pigments primarily residing in the contextual elements while the hymenium was pale. This seems to be Cu. miniata sensu Petersen 1968 and I am curious how consistent pigment distribution is.
Distribution: Only known from Tennessee but unlikely to be restricted to there.
Verified Occurrences
Click on the collections below to see link to verified observations (if applicable on iNaturalist or Mushroom Observer).
Genus | species | Type | Collection | Herbarium | Location | ITS Genbank | Certainty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Clavulinopsis | aurantiocinnabarina NN03 | JMB08101205 | TENN-F-067667 | USA-TN | Need | Certain | |
Clavulinopsis | aurantiocinnabarina NN03 | SAT0921319 | TENN-F-064103 | USA-TN | Need | Certain |
Clavulinopsis aurantiocinnabarina NN04
This is yet another group producing orange fruiting bodies.
Distribution: Appalachian Tennessee to Pennsylvania so far.
Verified Occurrences
Click on the collections below to see link to verified observations (if applicable on iNaturalist or Mushroom Observer).
Genus | species | Type | Collection | Herbarium | Location | ITS Genbank | Certainty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Clavulinopsis | aurantiocinnabarina NN04 | JMB08031201 | TENN-F-067378 | USA | Need | Certain | |
Clavulinopsis | aurantiocinnabarina NN04 | iNat 133671306 | - | USA-PA | Need | Certain | |
Clavulinopsis | aurantiocinnabarina NN04 | SAT0921301 | TENN-F-064102 | USA-TN | Need | Certain | |
Clavulinopsis | aurantiocinnabarina NN04 | PBM3010 | TENN | USA-WV | Need | Certain |
Clavulinopsis aurantiocinnabarina/sp OH-01
Ok, this is probably pretty clearly not aurantiocinnabarina since it looks like the yellow coloration is consistent. I have called it "aurantiocinnabarina Lemon" in my head for a while but with only two specimens examined at that point, I was unsure of the consistency of this coloration. Now it looks to be a potential trait with 4 specimens that are all yellow. It is tempting to call this Clavulinopsis aurantiocinnabarina f. amoena R.H. Petersen (1968) given its coloration, but it is unclear to me if Petersen meant the form for a truly yellow species as the name implies, or a somewhat paler or faded orange species as the description and picture show. Either way, the true Cu. amoena does not appear to be in this subgenus, though the species typically ascribed to that name cetainly does (e.g., Corner 1950).
In the field, this species is probably hiding under the name Cu. fusiformis of subgenus Acularia. It cold be distinguished dried at a glance (pale as opposed to maintaining the yellow coloration) which can sometimes be noticed in the field when conditions are dry. Additionally it has mildly sweet taste (as opposed to bitter/farinaceous), likely doesn't turn greenish in iron salts nor orange in KOH, and is clearly different based on the spore apiculus.
Distribution: Tennessee up through the midwest (Michigan, Ohio) extending at least into Quebec. Likely more widely distributed and hiding under the name Cu. fusiformis.
Verified Occurrences
Click on the collections below to see link to verified observations (if applicable on iNaturalist or Mushroom Observer).
Genus | species | Type | Collection | Herbarium | Location | ITS Genbank | Certainty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Clavulinopsis | aurantiocinnabarina/sp OH-01 | HRL2567 | - | CAN-QUE | ON943319.1 | Certain | |
Clavulinopsis | aurantiocinnabarina/sp OH-01 | STZ11451 | WTU | USA-MI | Need | Certain | |
Clavulinopsis | aurantiocinnabarina/sp OH-01 | 66236 | PUL F27206 | USA-OH | Need | Certain | |
Clavulinopsis | aurantiocinnabarina/sp OH-01 | JMB08101209 | TENN-F-067692 | USA-TN | Need | Certain | |
Clavulinopsis | aurantiocinnabarina/sp OH-01 | JMB08171006 | TENN | USA-TN | Need | Certain | |
Clavulinopsis | aurantiocinnabarina/sp OH-01 | JMB08061202 | TENN-F-067599 | USA-TN | Need | Certain |
Clavulinopsis aurantiocinnabarina IN03
This one is also orange but maybe with a salmon tint? Would need a lot more data to consider this diagnostic.
Verified Occurrences
Click on the collections below to see link to verified observations (if applicable on iNaturalist or Mushroom Observer).
Genus | species | Type | Collection | Herbarium | Location | ITS Genbank | Certainty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Clavulinopsis | aurantiocinnabarina IN03 | 2273 | - | USA-IN | Need | Certain | |
Clavulinopsis | aurantiocinnabarina IN03 | BPL253 | TENN-F-067381 | USA-TN | Need | Certain |
Clavulinopsis bicolor
This is a pleasant little species with white to off-white hymenial coloration and a distinct yellow brown sterile portion recent described from China based on a single specimen (Yan et al., 2023).
Verified Occurrences
Genus | species | Type | Collection | Herbarium | Location | ITS Genbank | Certainty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Clavulinopsis | bicolor | HOLOTYPE | MHHNU10381 | MHHNU10381 | China-Hainan | OQ703780.1 | TYPE |
Clavulinopsis incarnata
This beautiful and recently described species is characterized by its sparse (non-fasciculate) growth and soft pink fruiting bodies (Yan et al., 2023). There are several older names for pinkish Clavulinopsis for subtropical to tropical Asian species that need to be clarified before this name is completely safe in my mind.
Verified Occurrences
Genus | species | Type | Collection | Herbarium | Location | ITS Genbank | Certainty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Clavulinopsis | incarnata | PARATYPE | MHHNU9314 | MHHNU9314 | China-Hunan | OQ703785.1 | PARATYPE |
Clavulinopsis | incarnata | PARATYPE | MHHNU11331 | MHHNU11331 | China-Yunnan | OQ703788.1 | PARATYPE |
Clavulinopsis | incarnata | PARATYPE | MHHNU9813 | MHHNU9813 | China-Yunnan | OQ703786.1 | PARATYPE |
Clavulinopsis | incarnata | HOLOTYPE | MHHNU11330 | MHHNU11330 | China-Yunnan | OQ703787.1 | HOLOTYPE |
Clavulinopsis novo-zealandica
This species is described as fleshy and inflated like Cu. sulcata. It has a pale yellow to cream fertile portion with a brighter yellow sterile portion.
Distribution: Known only from New Zealand.
Verified Collections
Genus | species | Type | Collection | Herbarium | Location | ITS Genbank | Certainty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Clavulinopsis | novozealandica | HOLOTYPE | TENN043575 | TENN | NZ | Need | HOLOTYPE |
Clavulinopsis sulcata/miyabeana/etc.
It looks like the issue we have in eastern North America with a high amount of diversity passing under 1 or 2 names is not unique. Most of these are probably in the pink-orange color series given the names of the species used. Somewhere in here is probably the type species, Cu. sulcata but I couldn't hazard a guess which. More work in East Asia/Australasia will be needed to sort this pile of species out. There are A LOT of names available for white-yellow-pink-orange-red species this region (see below) and the best of luck to the brave souls that take on the project of sorting all of these abandoned, poorly known, or otherwsie confused taxa!
Collections in this group
Genus | species | Type | Collection | Herbarium | Location | ITS Genbank | Certainty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Clavulinopsis | sp. | WML-48 | WML-48 | - | OK584470.1 | ||
Clavulinopsis | sp. | KN23 | KN23 | - | OL638253.1 | ||
Clavulinopsis | sp. | WML2021-8-25-2 | WML2021-8-25-2 | - | OL998888.1 | ||
Clavulinopsis | sp. | KFRI MH1519 | KFRI MH1519 | - | OR224623.1 | ||
Clavulinopsis | sp. | LD2021-6-9 | LD2021-6-9 | - | OK643821.1 | ||
Clavulinopsis | sp. | MEL 2382732 | MEL 2382732 | AUS-NT | KP012914.1 | ||
Clavulinopsis | sp. | MCCNNU 00948 | MCCNNU 00948 | China | MT587808.1 | ||
Clavulinopsis | sp. | MCCNNU 00952 | MCCNNU 00952 | China | MT587809.1 | ||
Clavulinopsis | miyabeana | ZP-2118 | ZP-2118 | China-Hunan? | MK427059.1 | ||
Clavulinopsis | sulcata | ZP-2119 | MHHNU 8619 | China-Hunan? | MK427060.1 | ||
Clavulinopsis | sp. | ZP-2400 | MHHNU 8900 | China-Hunan? | MK427063.1 | ||
Clavulinopsis | sulcata | HFJAU-TD330 | HFJAU-TD330 | China-Jiangxi | MN622711.1 | ||
Clavulinopsis | sulcata | 26 | 26 | China? | OL616149.1 | ||
Clavulinopsis | miyabeana | 198-280 | 198-280 | Japan | AB509666.1 | ||
Clavulinopsis | miyabeana | 198-506 | 198-506 | Japan | AB509804.1 | ||
Clavulinopsis | miyabeana | 197-490 | 197-490 | Japan | AB509796.1 | ||
Clavulinopsis | sulcata | PDD 107085 | PDD 107085 | NZ | Need | ||
Clavulinopsis | miyabeana | BMS12BM | BMS12BM | Philippines | OR099734.1 | ||
Clavulinopsis | sp. | BMS13AM | BMS13AM | Philippines | OR099733.1 | ||
Clavulinopsis | miyabeana | BMS12F | BMS12F | Philippines | OR099726.1 | ||
Clavulinopsis | sulcata | MG10 | MG10 | Philippines | OK446763.1 | ||
Clavulinopsis | sp. | BMS13F | BMS13F | Philippines | OR099728.1 |
Non-exhaustive list of other species possibly or likely in this subgenus
Clavulinopsis amoena sensu Corner et al. (= Cu. spiralis?) - Yellow, widespread paleotropical
Clavulinopsis arenicola - pale buff, Singapore
Clavaria brevipes - white, Singapore
Clavaria caepicolorosa - red, Australia
Clavaria cardinalis - red, Australia
?Clavulinopsis inflatissima - yellow?, Bolivia
Clavaria laeta - red, Sri Lanka
Clavulinopsis liguloides - yellow-brown, Indonesia
?Clavaria militina - red, India
Clavulinopsis miniata var. rosacea, pinkish flesch colored, Malaysia? Madagascar?
Clavulinopsis miniata var. sanguinea, red, Malaysia
Clavaria miyabeana - red, Japan
Clavaria pallidorosea - orange-pink, Australia
Clavaria phoenicea - pinkish purple? Orange-red?, Indonesia
Clavaria phoenicea var. ealensis - pinkish purple, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Clavaria rosacea - pinkish flesch colored, Madagascar
Clavaria sanguinioacuta - red, Malaysia
Clavaria schimadai - orange, Japan
Claulinopsis spiralis - white, pale yellow, Indonesia
?Clavaria subargillacea - yellow, Japan
?Clavaria subaurantiaca - orange, Indonesia
Literature Cited:
Coker, W. (1923). The Clavarias of the United States and Canada. University fo North Carolina Press.
Corner, E. (1950). A Monograph of Clavaria and Allied Genera. Oxford University Press.
Petersen, R. (1971). Notes on Clavarioid fungi—IX. Addendum to Clavulinopsis in North America. Persoonia, 6(2), 219–229.
Petersen, R. (1978). Notes on clavarioid fungi. XVI. Clampless taxa in Clavulinopsis. Mycotaxon, 6(9), 503–507.
Petersen, R. H. (1988). The Clavarioid Fungi of New Zealand. Science Information Pub. Centre, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.
Schweinitz, L. (1832). Synopsis Fungorum in America Boreali media degentium. Secundum Observationes. Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, 4, 141–316.
Yan, J., Wen, J., Li, G.-W., Wu, S.-W., & Zhang, P. (2023). Taxonomy and Phylogenetic Relationships of Clavulinopsis (Clavariaceae, Agaricales): Description of Six New Species and One Newly Recorded Species from China. Journal of Fungi, 9(6), 656. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9060656