Came across this guy too late for yesterday’s post. But that’s ok because it deserves it’s own. Clavaria zollingeri can’t be confused for anything else. Its purple color and antler-like tips are truly distinctive. Like the Crown-Tipped coral fungus it is “saprobic,” meaning it grows on decaying organic matter. It usually grows in moss (the above example being an exception) which creates a great green and purple contrast for photographers.
So, so far we’ve got three coral fungi on our list. The Yellow-Tipped Coral Fungus, Ramaria formosa, the Crown-Tipped coral fungus, Artomyces pyxidatus, and Clavaria zollingeri, the violet coral. For identifying all three, the tips (whether they fork out or stay blunt and flat) are key.
recycled paper clips 