Appearance
The coloring of the fruit bodies is quite variable, ranging from violet to amethyst, or violet shaded with brown or red. The colors may be variable over the fruit body; in one instance the outside branches were brown while the inner branches in the center of the bundle were light violet.Dried specimens may lose their coloring almost entirely, as the pigments may be sensitive to light or dryness. The fruit body is typically 5 to 10 cm tall and 4 to 7 c wide. The stem, or base, is short, and the branching starts a short distance above the ground.
The surfaces of the fragile branches are smooth and dry; the branches are 2–6 thick, typically with rounded tips. It has no distinguishable odor, and a taste somewhat like radishes or cucumber. Although edible in small quantities, the fragile fruit bodies are of limited culinary value, and may have a laxative effect.
In mass, the spores are white. Light microscopy reveals additional details: the spores are roughly spherical to broadly elliptical, with dimensions of 4–7 by 3–5 μm. They have a clear apiculus about 1 μm long, and a single large oil droplet. The basidia are four-spored, do not have clamps, and measure 50–60 by 7–9 μm, gradually widening at the apex.
Naming
Other lavender to violet-colored corals include "Clavulina amethystinoides", which is so multiply branched so as to appear toothed, and "Clavulina amethystina", which can only be reliably distinguished by its two-spored basidia in comparison to the four-spored basidia of "Clavaria" species.In "Alloclavaria purpurea", the branching is reduced and the color usually a duller purple. The Australian coral "Ramaria versatilis" is also similar in appearance to "Clavaria zollinger", but has branch tips that end in two short and blunt processes that are the same color as the rest of the fruit body.
"Ramariopsis pulchella"—a small, violet-colored coral fungus rarely taller than 3 cm —could be mistaken for a small "C. zollingeri". It has roughly spherical spores measuring 3.0–4.5 by 2.5–3.5 μm.
Distribution
It has a widespread distribution, and has been found in Australia, New Zealand, North America, South America, and Asia. In North America, the distribution is restricted to the northeastern regions of the continent.Rare in Europe, it is listed in the Red Lists of threatened species in Denmark and Great Britain. In Ireland, it is used as an indicator species to help assess the fungal diversity of nutrient-poor grasslands, a habitat under threat. It was recorded from the Netherlands for the first time in 2006.
Habitat
The fruit bodies of "Clavaria zollingeri" grow either solitarily, in groups, or in clusters on the ground in grassy spots, usually near hardwood trees, or with mosses. It is a saprobic species, deriving nutrients by breaking down organic matter.References:
Some text fragments are auto parsed from Wikipedia.
