Coral Mushrooms

This group of mushrooms can be quite challenging to identify to the species level. The majority of these coral-shaped fungi are in the genus Ramaria but others might fall into Lentoramaria, Clavulina, Artomyces, and a few other small genera. Most of the time that I see corals I simply acknowledge that the mushroom is a coral, snap some photos, and move on.

Here are some characteristics that might be useful for identifying coral mushrooms

• General structure of the stalk vs branches
• Color of the branches or tips
• Unique coloration on the stalk
• Color-change on handling (bruising)
• Taste (Chew and spit. Check for bitter, spicy, or mild taste)