Fairy Club Fungus

When most people think about fungus they imagine a mushroom with a stalk and cap. But a fungus can be ball-shaped, cup or saucer-shaped, shelf-like, shaped like underwater coral, or even appear to be a jellylike blob!

Pictured today is a species of fairy club fungus, Clavulinopsis fusiformis, commonly referred to as golden spindles or spindle coral. It is most likely to be found in woodland humus in late summer or fall. The finger-like yellow fruiting bodies are hollow, and grow in bundles, often flattened with a single vertical groove on each side. An interesting fact about Clavulinopsis fusiformis is that it was one of four fungi featured on Canadian postage stamps in 1989. What a delight it is to spot this bright yellow fungus on the forest floor!

Today's photo was taken by WPC Aquatic Ecologist Mandy Smith.

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