Introduction - click to expand Ramaria are corals with striate, spiny, or warty spores. They may be quite colourful or blah, and found either on the ground or on wood. Clavulina are blah corals on the ground with smooth spores. Lentaria are blah corals on wood with smooth spores. Other coral fungi are found in various other places in the fungal tree, it is a somewhat common shape. Phaeoclavulina (formerly subgenus Echinoramaria) - with spiny spores (sharper than the warts found in the various subgenera of Ramaria. They have rhizomorphs and are found on the ground litter and the colours are usually yellowish blah (sometimes greenish). They seem to form a well supported clade together in a multi-gene tree. I am assuming they are not mycorrhizal, as they are relatively basal in this order, but some wonder if they have a dual ecology. This has not been answered yet. Lentoramaria (+Rubellaria, Graciramaricus, Acutiramaria, Brachyramaria) (formerly subgenus Lentoramaria) - usually with warty spores (duller and rounder than the sharp spines of Phaeoclavulina) usually blah to yellowish-blaw coloured (occasionally pinkish or greenish), with rhizomorphs, and found either on the ground or on wood. This section had to be split into multiple genera. Ramaria subgenus Ramaria - with striate spores, usually colourful on the branch tips only and with amyloid flesh. Most are of the cauliflower shape with a single large stem and only short abortive branches growing out of it. Found on the ground, and most are assumed to be mycorrhizal. Very few mycorrhizal Ramaria species are found both in the EU and in NA (see the discussion under Laeticolora). Gautieria and Destuntzia truffles are part of Ramaria subgenus Ramaria. Ramaria subgenus Laeticolora - also usually with warty spores, but usually brightly coloured both on the branches and their tips. The flesh is usually not amyloid. Many are not strongly cauliflower shaped, but have some other coral form. Found on the ground, usually without rhizomorphs. This large subgenus has been divided into two based on whether a species has clamp connections or not, but that has little or no taxonomic value. It can, however, greatly aid in identification. Most are assumed to be mycorrhizal. Very few mycorrhizal Ramaria species are found both in the EU and in NA as they are highly tree specific. The local Ramaria studies guessed that perhaps 2 out of 75 EU species were found here, but it turned out none of them are. It took a lot of genes to figure out that they are (mostly) all together in the tree next to subgenus Ramaria so thankfully they can keep the name Ramaria. Gomphus - a few purplish Laeticolora turn out to belong in Gomphus with the purple chanterelle. It is fascinating to have learned that false chanterelles and corals evolved back and forth so many times. It's easier to see how gilled and pored mushrooms evolved back and forth, you can picture pores as gills that are pinched together every once in a while to form the pores. But I cannot fathom why the two very different shapes of Gomphus/Turbinellus and Ramaria evolved back and forth so many times. See this tree and this study that formalized the names. DO NOT BOTHER to try and identify a Ramaria if it is not young and fresh. Every species soon becomes the same dull yellow-orange-brown. Things you need to know to identify a Ramaria: colours of a very fresh fruiting body cauliflower shaped or not? (one large stem with many short branches, versus a collection of individual stems and/or long branches) when you cut into the stem, is there a translucent gelatinous substance mixed in with the white flesh? when you cut into the stem, is there a rusty brown section of flesh? ("rusty root") is a band of yellow the first colour you see above the white stem base before the orange or other colours of the branches? ("yellow belly band") are there red-wine coloured stains on the base? ("wine staining base") is the colour pattern peachy/salmon coloured branches with yellow tips? ("formosa" colours) does the stem flesh turn black in iodone? ("amyloid") does the stem flesh turn green in FeSO4? the kind of ornamentation of the spores (smooth, striate, warty or spiny) the size of the spores whether or not there are clamps on the basidia abundant common uncommon rare - colour codes match my Pictorial Key and are my opinions and probably reflect my bias of living in W WA. Rare species may be locally common in certain places at certain times.

Phaeoclavulina - click to expand Species mentioned: Phaeoclavulina eumorpha, corrugata, myceliosa, curta, abietina, coniferarum, argentea, glaucoaromatica, mutabilis, incognita.   Might be green Phaeoclavulina sp. 'abietina-PNW01' - a small (<5 cm tall) blah coral that usually has greenish tones, either inherently or from staining. Ramaria apiculata and Ramaria tsugina, below, may have greenish branches but they are found on wood. Phaeoclavulina abietina is a complex of species, and the one that occurs here is not the same as the real one that occurs in the EU (although the real one occurs in Northern Alberta). Holzapfel calls ours "complex B-IV". Sequenced once from OR so far. Phaeoclavulina sp. 'PNW02' - also has green. It should be investigated if one of our unnamed species is Phaeoclavulina glaucoaromatica TN or Phaeoclavulina mutabilis EU. Sequenced a few times from WA and OR. Phaeoclavulina argentea EU (formerly PNW03) - can have green when cut or handled, has white rhizomorphs, and is sometimes quite yellowish, but is described as another blah coral with a stem that bruises brown and spores averaging ~6.5u long with spines <=1.2u long. We have ITS2 of the type sequence, and matching local sequences. Phaeoclavulina glaucoaromatica TN - a larger greenish species (5-15cm tall) with a white stem base that smells of maple syrup when dried, with large spores (~10u long). It has been reported from ID. No DNA yet from anywhere. Phaeoclavulina coniferarum EU - not known from the PNW until sequenced once from ID and once from WA. The first was quite yellowish, the second was quite green. The 2 local sequences match each other, but are 4 bp and 3 ambiguous locations from the type sequence. Phaeoclavulina mutabilis EU - 5-15 cm tall, with green only on the stem. Spores average 6.5u long. It has been reported throughout the PNW. No DNA yet from anywhere.   Never noted to be green Phaeoclavulina eumorpha EU - a blah coral with yellow rhizomorphs, spores averaging ~7.5u long. We have EU type area DNA and local DNA from BC and WA to show it's here. Phaeoclavulina curta (='curta-CA01', =CA08) - a small (<5 cm tall) blah species with the smallest spores (<5u long) that have the smallest spines (<0.3u). We have some EU type area sequences that have a chance of being this species, one one BC sequence is 2 bp and an indel or two different. A photographed OR collection is also very close. Phaeoclavulina minutispora EU - one BC and one CA collection match the type sequence in ITS2 but are somewhat different in ITS1. Phaeoclavulina corrugata EU - a couple of BC collections were discovered through DNA. Phaeoclavulina myceliosa CA - much like R. curta, with similar spores, but this coral has branches that are a little more open.  We don't have any western DNA, and we don't really know if this is distinct from P. curta or not. Some say it is, but we have a few EU sequences purporting to be this, and those sequences are distinct from R. curta. We need collections. Phaeoclavulina incognita TN - very similar to P. argentea and some synonymize them. It is said the tips are less likely to turn white in this species. The spores are said to average ~7.5u long with spines <=2u long. We have no DNA yet from anywhere yet, to show if this is indeed a distinct species. Phaeoclavulina sp. 'PNW02' © iNaturalist user ellenkr,     P. sp. 'PNW03' © Steve Ness (2 images),     P. coniferarum © Ed Barge Phaeoclavulina eumorpha © Daniel Winkler,     Phaeoclavulina curta © Dominic Kurdziolek

Lentoramaria (Rubellaria, Graciramaricus,Acutiramaria,Brachyramaria) - click to expand Species in former subgenus Lentoramaria were split into several genera. Species mentioned: Ramaria stricta, concolor, apiculata, tsugina var. prasina, rubella, suecica, gracilis, testaceoflava, rainierensis.   Lentoramaria - erect on wood Ramaria stricta EU (=Ramaria stricta var. concolor ID, =Ramaria concolor ID) - an tall, erect coral on wood with yellow tones in the branches, dimitic hyphae, and spores averaging ~8u long. Both type sequences match except for a couple bp, and some sequences fall in between or have ambiguities. Perhaps R. concolor, lacking yellow tones, should just be considered a colour form and not a true variety. Ramaria stricta var. concolor forma marrii TN - less erect, but branches more curved and open. We have no ITS sequences, but I suspect this has no meaningful genetic difference either. It has been reported from ID and WA. Ramaria sp. 'stricta-IN01' - more common back east, but a few collections in the PNW are this sister species. Ramaria sp. 'PNW14' - no information yet. ~70% support for being in Lentoramaria s.s. It is known from a couple of WA and a couple of OR sequences. Ramaria stricta © NAMA and the Field Museum of Natural History,     R. stricta var. concolor © Steve Ness,     R. sp. 'stricta-IN01' © Buck McAdoo,     Ramaria sp. 'PNW14' © Danny Miller   Acutiramaria - Lignicolous, possible green tones. Ramaria sp. 'apiculata-PNW45' - found on wood, upper branches and tips greenish like some green terrestrial Phaeoclavulina. Our one local sequence purpurting to be the EU species R. apiculata matches an epitype sequence in ITS1, but not in ITS2. Ramaria apiculata EU var. brunnea MI - also on wood, lacking the green tones but possibly recognizable by monomitic rhizomorphs and spores averaging ~10u long. It is reported throughout the PNW. We have the type sequence, but no local DNA yet to compare. Ramaria apiculata var. compacta EU - like var. brunnea, but with many, many congested branches. It was reported from ID. No DNA yet from anywhere. Ramaria tsugina NY var. prasina WA - also on wood and may have green tones, but with dimitic rhizomorphs and slightly smaller spores averaging ~9u long. We have the type sequence and matching recent sequences. I have no data on the type variety, nor if it is distinct, nor if it occurs here too. Ramaria sp. 'WA03' - one WA collection with some discolouration that could be interpreted as greenish. Ramaria sp. 'IN11' - BC collections showing peachy, orange, or yellow colours, but no green has been noticed so far. Ramaria sp. 'WA05' - found both white and bright yellow. Ramaria tsugina var. prasina © Shannon Beers and Steve Ness   R. testaceoflava is sister to Acutiramaria, but is not lignicolous. Nor does it have the small size or sharp tips of other Acutiramaria. However, I am assuming for now that it will be considered part of it. Ramaria testaceoflava EU var. brunnea NM - a rather erect coral found on the ground with somewhat chocolate branches with yellowish tips, staining brown where handled. DNA recently showed this is a Lentoramaria and not a Laeticolora (it always was rather blah for a Laeticolora and it does have rhizomorphs). EU type area sequences of the type variety that does not stain brown are about 3 bp different than our local variety sequences, so I am considering ours a distinct variety. Ramaria testaceoflava var. brunnea © Mary McCallum   Rubellaria - pink tones Ramaria rubella EU - with pinkish branches when fresh, a greyish-brown stem, and rhizomorphs that turn pink in KOH. We have a bunch of EU type area sequences, and matching local sequences. Ramaria rubella forma blanda CA - also with pinkish branches, but with a whiter stem and rhizomorphs that turn yellow in KOH. It is reported from BC and WA. It has the same ITS sequence as the type variety. Ramaria rubella © Steve Ness   Brachyramaria - Terrestrial Ramaria suecica (=Ramaria circinans var. anceps WA, =PNW54) - found on the ground, nondescript and very much like various Phaeoclavulina but with different spore ornamentation. It is also like R. rainierensis, but with monomitic rhizomorphs and with regular, unornamented clamps, and like R. gracilis but with bigger spores. R. suecica has a slight variation in ITS, maybe 1%, between the EU type area and our area. We likely have the real thing, but just in case we don't, we do already have a local name for our species, Ramaria circinans var. anceps WA. The type variety of R. circinans NY is distinct in LSU. unsequenced Ramaria suecica © Ron Exeter   Graciramaricus - Terrestrial Ramaria gracilis EU - found on the ground, with the smallest spores in the whole subgenus, averaging ~6u long. Easily confused with various Phaeoclavulina. We have a bunch of EU type area sequences, and a couple of OR and ID sequences match them. Ramaria rainierensis WA - also found on the ground, nondescript and very much like various Phaeoclavulina and R. suecica, but with dimitic rhizomorphs and with oddly ornamented clamps. We have the type sequence. You need quite a few genes unsequenced Ramaria gracilis © C D Marr,     R. gracilis © Ed Barge

Ramaria subgenus Ramaria - click to expand Gautieria and Destuntzia truffles are in this section and need to be moved to Ramaria. Species mentioned: Ramaria botrytis, subviolacea, rubrievanescens, rubripermanens, aurantiiramosa.   Ramaria sp. 'subviolacea-PNW01' complex - violet tinged tips only when young, later mostly off-white. Other purple Ramaria are not as cauliflower-like, have purple not just on the tips, and lack amyloid flesh. This is our best guess as to what R. subviolacea ID is, with spores averaging 14u long. If it's not in this complex, we need to figure out what it is. Either this is a species with variation in ITS of 2%, or there are 3 species in this complex. Ramaria rubrievanescens WA - with pink branch tips only when young and fresh (fading to whitish like the branches themselves). The stem discolours brown and the spores average 12u long. Only LSU has been sequenced of the type. We need ITS sequences and photographs. Ramaria sp. 'CA05' - seems similar to R. rubrievanescens. We need LSU of this or ITS of R. rubrievanescens to verify they are distinct. It has been found in OR and CA, but not WA. Ramaria sp. 'rubrievanescens-PNW09' - 3.5% different in LSU from the type sequence, we have ITS of this species. I don't know how to tell it apart from R. rubrievanescens. Ramaria sp. 'PNW08' - mostly off white when mature, perhaps the branch tips are a little peachy when young like R. aurantiiramosa. Ramaria rubripermanens WA - with reddish (or at least dark) branch tips even when somewhat mature, sometimes found in the spring. The spores average 12u long. Ramaria sp. 'botrytis-PNW02' - also with reddish (or at least dark) branch tips even when somewhat mature, but with larger spores averaging 14u long. Our species is distinct from the EU species and probably needs a new name. This is one of only 2 mycorrhizal EU species thought to be found in the PNW (the other was R. formosa) but neither of them actually do. There is very little overlap between EU and NA species of the mycorrhizal subgenera Ramaria and Laeticolora. Ramaria aurantiiramosa WA - similar to R. botrytis with similarly sized spores, but with orange branch tips when young like R. PNW08. It was formerly a variety of R. botrytis, but it is not closely related enough. Ramaria sp. 'PNW04' - a spring yellowish (or reddish!) cauliflower-like coral easily mistaken for R. rasilispora and R. magnipes in subgenus Laeticolora, but this species will likely have amyloid flesh and the branches themselves should be paler (mostly the tips show the colour). Also, the colour in the tips might fade like others in this subgenus. Most notably, it can also be red, explaining why it has gone undetected until the DNA age. Only when it is yellow will it stand out. Ramaria sp. 'PNW07' - no information yet. Sequenced twice from OR. Ramaria sp. 'PNW10' - no information yet, except that the branches might be rather stubby. Sequenced once from BC and once from OR. Ramaria sp. 'subviolacea-PNW01' © Noah Siegel (fresh) and Michael Beug (not as fresh) Ramaria sp. 'rubrievanescens-PNW09' © Ed Barge,     R. sp. 'PNW08' © Mary McCallum,     R. sp. 'PNW04' © Mary McCallum Ramaria sp. 'botrytis-PNW02' © Jonathan Frank and Steve Ness,     Ramaria rubripermanens © Jenny Lippert,     Ramaria aurantiiramosa © Mary McCallum   Ramaria sp. 'PNW51' - a red tipped species like R. botrytis, but this sequence is out on a long branch by itself, almost like it deserves its own genus/subgenus. I have doubts that it is subgenus Ramaria, but I can't rule that out, and it keys out here. We need to test the flesh to see if it's amyloid. Ramaria sp. 'PNW44' - in the same distant clade as PNW51. There is no photo, but it was mistaken for R. rubrievanescens, so it appears to also resemble a subgenus Ramaria species. Ramaria sp. 'PNW51' © Kathleen Dobson

Gomphus - click to expand A few purplish Laeticolora turned out to belong in Gomphus with the purple chanterelle. Species mentioned: Ramaria violaceibrunnea, fennica.   Ramaria violaceibrunnea WA (=Ramaria fennica EU var. violaceibrunnea WA) - duller smoky-purple upper branches and tips (whiter base), not cauliflower-like. Clamps. R. violaceibrunnea was formerly a variety of Ramaria fennica EU, and is probably closely enough related that it could still be considered a variety of it. We have the type sequence and several recent local matching sequences. Ramaria sp. 'ID02' - was an dull orange collection, but the stipe had fresh purple colours. Ramaria violaceibrunnea © Mary McCallum

Ramaria subgenus Laeticolora - click to expand Species mentioned: Ramaria botrytoides, aureoprimulina n.p., gelatiniaurantia, leptoformosa, rubricarnata, sandaracina, spinulosa, marrii, fumosiavellanea, acrisiccescens, rubribrunnescens, foetida, rasilisporoides, celerivirescens, claviramulata, rubiginosa, vinosimaculans, velocimutans, synaptopoda, gelatinosa var. oregonensis, stuntzii, maculatipes, cyaneigranosa, magnipes, rasilispora, coulterae, verlotensis, araiospora, longispora, fennica, violaceibrunnea, formosa, flavobrunnescens, cartilaginea, caulifloriformis, conjunctipes, largentii, aurantiisiccescens, amyloidea, flavigelatinosa, thiersii, cystidiophora, armeniaca, distinctissima var. americana, hilaris var. olympiana,  purpurissima, raveneliana. Species with Purple - click to expand Species mentioned: Ramaria purpurissima, fumosiavellanea   Ramaria purpurissima ID - bright purple upper branches and tips when fresh, cauliflower-like. Clamps. An inland species. We do not have sequences yet. Ramaria coulterae ID - illustrated below in the red section, usually with red tips but the tips can sometimes be purplish. The upper branches will be white. Spring. Cauliflower-like with a rusty root. Clampless. Ramaria acrisiccescens WA (=Ramaria fumosiavellanea WA) - some collections of Ramaria acrisiccescens are overall smoky-violet (without the whiter base) instead of overall pale, but the ITS type sequence of R. fumosiavellanea matches sequences of R. acrisiccescens. Clampless. Ramaria subviolacea is found above in subgenus Ramaria due to it being cauliflower-like with purple only on the tips and having amyloid flesh.   unsequenced Ramaria purpurissima © Andrew Parker,     Ramaria fumosiavellanea holotype © C D Marr Red and Pink Species - click to expand Species mentioned: Ramaria botrytoides, coulterae, stuntzii, araiospora, cyaneigranosa   Ramaria botrytoides NY - pale branches except for reddish branch tips, cauliflower-like like R. botrytis but with inamyloid flesh. Fall species. Clamps rare. No DNA from anywhere yet, and no recent local collections to prove the couple of reports that it might be in the PNW. Ramaria coulterae ID - similar to R. botrytoides with a cauliflower-like form, white branches, and young reddish to purplish tips, but spring fruiting and with a "rusty root". Clampless. It is a sister species of PNW26, with only yellow tips found so far in that species. We have the type sequence and a more recent matching WA/ID border sequence. Ramaria stuntzii WA - red branches and tips, flesh amyloid. Sometimes cauliflower-like. Clampless. We have the type sequence, and several matching sequences, but one OR sequence is 4 bp different, and another OR sequence is 4% different in ITS1 but matches ITS2. This needs investigation to see if we see these sequences again. Ramaria araiospora WA - red branches with yellow tips, not cauliflower-like. Inamyloid and clampless. Spore widths average <3.5u. We have WA and OR sequences. We have a number of local sequences. Ramaria araiospora var. rubella WA - red branches and tips, not cauliflower-like. Inamyloid and clampless. Local ITS sequences are not different than the type variety. Ramaria cyaneigranosa WA - similar reddish branches with perhaps yellow on the tips, clampless. Differentiated from R. araiospora by wider spores, averaging >4.5u. We have the the type sequence and some more recent matching sequences. Ramaria cyaneigranosa var. persicina WA - branches more salmon coloured. Sequences of this variety do not seem to be different in ITS than the type variety. Ramaria cyaneigranosa var. elongata WA - reddish branches and tips. Some purported sequences (PNW39, see below) are only distantly related to R. cyaneigranosa, so we need a type sequence to find out if this needs elevation to species. If it isn't PNW39, we need to figure out what it is. Ramaria sp. 'PNW39' - our 2 OR collections resembled R. cyaneigranosa var. elongata (a clampless species) so this needs more investigation. This species is closest in the tree to clamped species with a gelatinous stem context. Ramaria verlotensis WA - a gelatinous cauliflower-like species with pinkish-yellow branches, illustrated under the gelatinous species below. Clampless. Ramaria coulterae © Andrew Parker,     Ramaria stuntzii © Justin Bartella,     Ramaria araiospora var. rubella © Mary McCallum,     R. cyaneigranosa © Steve Ness Gelatinous stem context - click to expand Species mentioned: Ramaria gelatinosa var. oregonensis, gelatiniaurantia, hilaris var. olympiana, sandaracina, flavigelatinosa, cystidiophora var. fabiolens, verlotensis   Orange Species Ramaria gelatinosa var. oregonensis OR - the species with the most gelatinous stem context. It is an orange coral with clamps. Spores average ~9 x 5u. Ramaria gelatinosa was a re-using of a name that had already been taken, rendering it an illegal name, so this variety needs elevation to species. We have the type sequence and a number of more recent matching sequence. Ramaria gelatiniaurantia WA (=Ramaria hilaris var. olympiana WA) - a distinctively gelatinous orange coral without clamps and a yellow belly band below the orange colours that is lacking in R. gelatinosa var. oregonensis. Spores average ~9 x 4u. We have the type sequence. The LSU type sequence of R. hilaris var. olympiana (a local variety of a species from Yunnan) matches that of the type sequence of R. gelatiniaurantia, so it is probably a newer synonyn, which is just as well as the variety wasn't described legally anyway. Ramaria gelatiniaurantia var. violeitingens WA - similar, bruising dull violet. The type sequence matches that of the type variety in ITS. Ramaria sandaracina WA (= 'sandaracina-CA01', =sp. 'CA01') - a somewhat gelatinous species with a yellow belly band like R. gelatiniaurantia but with clamps like R. gelatinosa var. oregonensis. Occasional greyish-violet bruising. Spores average ~8 x 4u. It will be difficult to recognize if there is not much gelatinous-ness. We have the type sequence. Ramaria sandaracina var. chondrobasis WA - a slightly wider coral (>8cm wide). The type sequence is not really distinct in ITS from the type variety's type sequence. Ramaria sandaracina var. euosma WA - with yellow tips, the type sequence matched the type sequence of R. gelatiniaurantia, which lacks clamps. There must have been some mixup. We should probably not use this variety name. We need modern collections to see what they actually are. Ramaria gelatinosa var. oregonensis (unsequenced and sequenced) © Michael Beug, NAMA and the Field Museum of Natural History Ramaria gelatiniaurantia holotype © C D Marr,     R. gelatiniaurantia © Buck McAdoo,     R. gelatiniaurantia var. violeitingens © Mary McCallum Ramaria sandaracina © Shannon Wright and Mary McCallum   Yellow Species Ramaria flavigelatinosa WA - yellow coral without clamps. Spores average ~10 x 4-5u. We don't have any reliable sequences, we need a type sequence. Ramaria flavigelatinosa var. fragrans WA - with a sweet odor. We have no sequences yet. Ramaria flavigelatinosa var. carnisalmonea WA - the interior flesh is peachy and that may affect the colour of the upper branches. We have no reliable sequences. Ramaria flavigelatinosa var. megalospora WA - also with peachy interior flesh, but longer spores, averaging ~12 x 4.5u. We have no reliable sequences. Ramaria sp. 'PNW15' - a usually yellow species with gelatinous stem context. If it lacks clamps, it's possible this is R. flavigelatinosa var. megalospora, as the spore size matched in one collection. If it has clamps, it's possible it could be Ramaria cystidiophora var. fabiolens, which would need promotion to species. It's been sequenced almost a half dozen times locally. Ramaria sp. 'CA03' - a sister species to PNW15, but seemingly without gelatinous stem context. This should be confirmed. Ramaria cystidiophora var. fabiolens WA - is said to have a slightly gelatinous context. It is bright yellow and more coral-like than the other varieties, so it could conceivably represent PNW15. Ramaria sp. 'PNW15' © Michael Beug,     Ramaria sp. 'CA03' © Steve Ness   Unknown/Other Species Ramaria verlotensis WA - with peachy pinkish-yellow branches, but not distinctly "formosa" like.  Clampless. The type was from Verlot, WA in the fall, probably above 1000'. We have the type sequence, but it has never been found again. Ramaria sp. 'PNW40' - close to R. verlotensis. It too is a high elevation fall species. One photo shows mostly orange with hints of peachy pink, but another photo shows that it clearly has the formosa colouring when young. We need to confirm it has a gelatinous context. Ramaria sp. 'CA04' - another formosa-coloured species verified to have gelatinous context, known from CA and WA. Ramaria sp. 'PNW16' - genetically closest to gelatinous species. One of the names given to our one OR collection by Exeter is R. cartilaginea, but that could be something else. Ramaria sp. 'PNW37' - also genetically close to gelatinous species. Nothing is known about it. Ramaria sp. 'PNW38' - also genetically close to gelatinous species. It appears to be dirty yellow. The stem was not checked for gelatin. Ramaria sp. 'PNW49' - known from one WA collection with a unique sequence, yet seemingly a high quality sequence. Ramaria verlotensis holotype © C D Marr,     Ramaria sp. 'PNW40' © Steve Ness and Mary McCallum,     R. sp. 'CA04' © William McCullough Ramaria sp. 'PNW38' © William McCullough,     R. sp. 'PNW49' © Kathleen Dobson Rusty Root - click to expand Species mentioned: Ramaria amyloidea, velocimutans, celerivirescens, claviramulata.   Ramaria coulterae WA - illustrated in the red section above. Ramaria amyloidea WA - rusty root, branches somewhat orange when fresh, hyphae with clamps and flesh green in FeSO4. It has amyloid flesh, unusual for this subgenus. The ITS can be slightly variable, but a number of sequences show us what this is. Ramaria velocimutans WA - rusty root, a white coral aging to pale yellow, hyphae with clamps and flesh green in FeSO4. Inamyloid flesh. We have the type sequence and a recent matching sequence from OR. Ramaria celerivirescens WA (=Ramaria claviramulata WA) - rusty root, "formosa" colours (peachy branches with yellow tips). Only slowly amyloid, clampless, and flesh green in FeSO4. We have the type sequence and recent matching local collections. The type sequence of R. claviramulata has the same ITS as the type sequence of R. celerivirescens, so that appears to be an oddly formed form of R. celerivirescens with very fat branches like a bundle of Clavariadelphus, a closely related club fungus. Two undescribed clamped species that don't turn green in FeSO4 have been noted in the Ramaria monograph. No information yet. unsequenced Ramaria amyloidea © Michael Beug,     R. velocimutans © Mary McCallum,     R. celerivirescens (normal and claviramulata form) © NAMA and the Field Museum of Natural History Wine Staining - click to expand Species mentioned: Ramaria vinosimaculans, rubiginosa, synaptopoda, cystidiophora var. maculans, rubribrunnescens, maculatipes.   Brown staining is common, but purple-red staining is more unusual. Most form one clade. Yellow Species Ramaria vinosimaculans WA - yellow branches, somewhat cauliflower-like with clamps. We have the type sequence and a recent OR sequence 2 bp and 3 indel different that probably represents the same species. Ramaria sp. 'PNW18' - a sister species to R. vinosimaculans, with no way yet to tell them apart, this is also yellow and perhaps also has clamps. Sequenced twice from OR. Ramaria rubiginosa WA (formerly CA02) - another very similar yellowish species that is somewhat cauliflower-like but clampless, not in the same clade as the others. We have the type sequence and a couple other more recent OR sequences. It seems to be most common in CA. Ramaria synaptopoda WA - A small yellow clampless species that is not at all cauliflower-like, closely related to R. cystidiophora. Spore length averages ~10u. We have the type sequence and a more recent WA sequence. Ramaria cystidiophora var. maculans WA - this variety is bright yellow and graceful (not at all cauliflower-like) with clamps and some wine staining. Spores average ~12 x 4u. No DNA yet. Orange/Formosa-like Species Ramaria rubribrunnescens WA - orange branches, clampless. We have the type sequence and a couple closely matching sequences from OR that are somewhat dirty sequences. Ramaria sp. 'rubribrunnescens-CA01' - a sister species from WA, OR and CA. Ramaria maculatipes WA - "formosa" colours. Clamps. We have the type sequence and a bunch of matching sequences from OR. Ramaria sp. 'PNW19' - another species in this clade, also with a red wine staining base, twice mistaken for R. rubribrunnescens, so perhaps it is orange. Ramaria sp. 'PNW20' - another species in this clade. Nothing is known about it yet. unsequenced Ramaria vinosimaculans © Michael Beug,     Ramaria sp. 'PNW18' © Jenny Lippert (2 images) unsequenced R. rubiginosa © Kit Scates Barnhart,     Ramaria synaptopoda holotype © C D Marr,     Ramaria rubribrunnescens © NAMA and the Field Museum of Natural History,     R. maculatipes holotype © C D Marr Yellow Species - click to expand Species mentioned: Ramaria cystidiophora, thiersii, foetida, rasilisporoides, flavobrunnescens var. aromatica, cartilaginea, rasilispora, magnipes.   Ramaria cystidiophora WA - a bright yellow graceful coral. The branches usually have separate bases (not at all cauliflower-like), clamps. We have a few local sequences of unknown variety, but all the ITS sequences are the basically the same. Ramaria cystidiophora var. fabiolens WA - somewhat gelatinous in the stem context and less graceful and more cauliflower-like. It's possible this is not actually a variety of R. cystidophora (see PNW15 in the gelatinous section). No DNA yet. Ramaria cystidiophora var. citronella WA - yellow bruising brown. The type sequence of this variety is the same in ITS as most other sequences of unknown variety of R. cystidiophora. Ramaria cystidiophora var. maculans WA - yellow bruising reddish-brown, this is a wine staining variety. No DNA yet. Ramaria cystidiophora var. anisata CA (=PNW22) - some salmon tones in the branches, making it look a little "formosa" like. The unpublished type sequence matches PNW22. It should probably be elevated to species. Ramaria sp. 'PNW22a' - differs from R. cystidiophora var. anisata by a few characters in ITS2 only. Is it a distinct species? Ramaria cystidiophora © Steve Ness,     Ramaria cystidiophora var. anisata © NAMA and the Field Museum of Natural History,     Ramaria sp. 'PNW22a' © Marty Krannabetter Ramaria rubricarnata WA var. pallida CA (=R. thiersii CA) - pale yellow branches and tips, cauliflower-like, long spores >= 12.5u long. Clamps. We have both type sequences are they match well, and it is indeed sister to the type variety of R. rubricarnata. We have BC and OR sequences matching the holotypes. Ramaria foetida CA (=Ramaria rasilisporoides OR) - the two ITS type sequences turned out to be the same. It is a pale yellow cauliflower-like coral with amyloid flesh and shorter spores averaging ~9u long. Clamps. Ramaria flavobrunnescens NC var. aromatica WA - a sweet smelling yellow cauliflower-like coral that may occur in the spring. Spores averaging ~10.5u long. Clamps. We don't have sequences of the ENA type variety to know if this really is a variety of R. flavobrunnescens or not, but we do have four west coast sequences of this local variety. One collection had fat branches like R. claviramulata, the first time I've seen that happen outside of R. celerivirescens! Ramaria sp. 'PNW21' - probably a yellow species as our one OR sequence was mistaken for R. flavobrunnescens. Ramaria sp. 'PNW23' - a sister species to R. flavobrunnescens var. aromatica. Known from one CA and one OR sequence. Ramaria cartilaginea WA - a yellow (when fresh) cauliflower-like species with a slight musty or bean odor. The name suggests it is cartilaginous, but that describes the overall texture, not the fact that there is translucent gelatin in the stem. The spores are short, averaging ~8.8 x 4.5u. One Marr collection, if labeled correctly, shows us what this sequence might be (close to R. gelatinosa var. oregonensis). Exeter thought PNW16 was R. cartilaginea. For now I'm assuming Marr was right, but we need a type sequence to verify this. Spores average <9.5u long. Clamps. Sequenced from WA and OR. Ramaria rubricarnata var. pallida (thiersii) © Marty Krannabetter,     Ramaria flavobrunnescens var. aromatica © Mary McCallum,     Ramaria cartilaginea © iNaturalist user jsurdzial Ramaria sp. 'PNW27' - a cauliflower-shaped yellow species from Victoria BC with a photograph, but little other data. Ramaria sp. 'PNW29' - a yellow cauliflower-like mushroom that is sister to R. velocimutans but does not have a rusty root like that species does. Sequenced once from WA at high elevation. Ramaria sp. 'schildii-ID01' - yellow branches that stain brown, not cauliflower-like   Ramaria sp. 'PNW27' © Marty Krannabetter,     Ramaria sp. 'PNW29' © Mary McCallum (2 images) Spring Species Ramaria magnipes WA - spring, cauliflower-like, flesh slightly browning, spores almost smooth (warts very hard to detect) and averaging ~11.5u long. Clamps. We have a type sequence and one matching ID sequence. Ramaria sp. 'BC01' - a close sister species to R. magnipes, a unique sequence and for now I'm assuming it could be a distinct species. Ramaria sp. 'PNW03' - most recent local sequences have been this sister species. I don't yet know how to tell them apart, but it appears that what we usually call R. magnipes is not that, but this unnamed lookalike. Ramaria magnipes var. albidior CA - paler, almost white. We have the type sequence, and it is more closely related to R. rasilispora than it is to R. magnipes, so it probably needs a name change. It was found once in WA in the Olympics. Ramaria rasilispora WA -also spring and cauliflower-like, but flesh not browning. The spores are also almost smooth and average a little shorter, ~10.5u long. Clamps. We have a few sequences, but not a type sequence. Ramaria rasilispora var. scatesiana ID - described with slight differences, but ITS cannot seem to distinguish the type sequence from purported sequences of the type variety. Ramaria sp. 'PNW24' - a little known yellow spring fruiter that much resembles R. rasilispora but isn't in the same clade. Ramaria sp. 'PNW25' - another spring sister species of PNW24, this is usually peachy yellow. One collection was labeled R. flavigelatinosa var. carnisalmonea and another R. rubricarnata. However, one sequence showed it to be red. Was that an error? Ramaria sp. 'PNW26' - white branches except for yellow branch tips, cauliflower-like. Probably spring fruiting. Closely related to R. coulterae, with red tips. Known from 3 OR sequences. Ramaria sp. 'PNW03' © Michael Beug,     Ramaria magnipes var. albidior © Mary McCallum,     Ramaria rasilispora © Danny Miller,     Ramaria sp. 'PNW24' © Jenny Lippert   Ramaria sp. 'PNW25' © Kathleen Dobson (2 images),     Ramaria sp. 'PNW26' © Jenny Lippert Orange Species - click to expand Species mentioned: Ramaria largentii, armeniaca, aurantiisiccescens, aureoprimulina.   Ramaria largentii WA (=Ramaria distinctissima var. americana ID?) - branches and tips bright orange, long spores >=12.5u long. Clamps. Four local sequences show us what this sequence probably is. Ramaria distinctissima var. americana supposedly differs by subtle colour differences, probably not a great way to separate species, especially since the micro is identical. Perhaps this local variety of a Yunnan species is the same thing as R. largentii. We have no DNA of it yet and we need type sequences of both species. Note that one of our two photographed collections that we think is this, from CA, has formosa colouring, with tips yellowish instead of bright orange. Ramaria armeniaca ID - our only spring orange somewhat cauliflower-like species without clamps. No DNA yet. Ramaria aurantiisiccescens WA - a fall orange somewhat cauliflower like species without clamps. We have many local sequences, and ITS can vary slightly between them. Ramaria sp. 'PNW42' - an orange species near R. largentii and R. aurantiisiccescens that has been mistaken for other orange species. Known from one fall OR collection that had a large yellow belly band. Ramaria sp. 'PNW43' - same notes as PNW42. Known from a half dozen PNW collections. Ramaraia aureoprimulina n.p. (formerly PNW30) - based on a translation of the proposed name, probably a spring golden coloured species. Ramaria sp. 'PNW47' - not yet known if it has a gelatinous stem context, wine stain, yellow belly band, or rusty root. One ID collection and one PQ collection. Ramaria sp. 'PNW50' - known from one OR collection that was very dried out, but the upper branches were bright orange and the rest almost white. Ramaria sp. 'PNW53' - known from one WA collection that appeared to be orange. Not much is known about it. Ramaria largentii © Maddox Atagi,     Ramaria aurantiisiccescens © Mary McCallum and Steve Ness Ramaria sp. 'PNW42' © Jonathan Frank,     Ramaria sp. 'PNW43' © Mary McCallum,     R. sp. 'PNW47' © Ed Barge,     R. sp. 'PNW50' © Jonathan Frank Formosa Colours - click to expand Species mentioned: Ramaria formosa, leptoformosa, rubricarnata, conjunctipes, raveneliana, longispora   Peachy branches with yellow tips Ramaria sp. 'PNW05' (Ramaria formosa EU misapplied) - staining brown wherever handled. Long spores average ~12 x 5.5u. Clamps. Our ITS sequences are sufficiently distinct from EU type area sequences so our species probably needs a new name. This is one of only 2 EU species thought to be found in the PNW (the other was R. botrytis) but neither of them actually do. There is very little overlap between EU and NA species of the mycorrhizal subgenera Ramaria and Laeticolora. Ramaria sp. 'PNW06' - 1% different in LSU than Ramaria formosa, which is a lot, but it does seem to have that colour scheme. No details yet. We also have a short ITS2 sequence. Ramaria leptoformosa WA - not staining and more subtle formosa colouring. The spores are shorter and narrower averaging ~10.5 x 4u, also with clamps. We have the type sequence and a BC, WA, and OR sequence. Ramaria sp. 'PNW41' - known from one OR and one CA collection, our one photo shows the 'formosa' colouring. It should be investigated if it has gelatinous flesh, and the OR collection was mistaken for R. sandaracina. It is too far distant in the tree from any other known species to tell anything about it from genetics. Ramaria sp. 'PNW05' and 'PNW06' © Mary McCallum,     Ramaria leptoformosa © NAMA and the Field Museum of Natural History,     R. sp. 'PNW41' © Dean Lyons Ramaria rubricarnata WA - cauliflower-like, flesh amyloid. Clamps. Sometimes this species is mostly yellow, but the interior flesh will be peachy. We have the type sequence and a couple of more recent local sequences. Ramaria rubricarnata var. pallida CA (=R. thiersii) - a spring variety with long branches that turned out to be the same as R. thiersii. It is indeed sister to the type variety but differently coloured and illustrated in the yellow section. Ramaria rubricarnata var. verna ID (formerly PNW28) - we have collections from CA and WA matching the ID holotype. The variety was described illegally and probably needs promotion to species anyway. Ramaria rubricarnata © Kathleen Dobson   The Ramaria conjunctipes group of species might need their own genus. Ramaria conjunctipes NC var. tsugensis WA - strongly formosa-coloured but clampless, with a dense bundle of white stems below the peachy colours of the branches (R. formosa has one big white stem) and much smaller spores than R. formosa. Up to 18cm tall. Spores of all varieties probably average ~7.5u x 5u. We have the type sequence and an OR sequence. Ramaria sp. 'PNW32' - this may be R. conjunctipes var. sparsiramosa WA, more graceful and slender than var. tsugensis and not as tall (up to 10cm). Sequenced once from WA and once from OR. Ramaria sp. 'PNW33' - or this may be R. conjunctipes var. sparsiramosa WA. We need a type sequence to find out which it is, and we need a way to tell these two species apart. Sequenced a few times from OR. Ramaria sp. 'PNW31' - an unknown variety in the R. conjunctipes complex. Sequenced a few times from OR and WA. Ramaria sp. 'PNW34' - an unknown variety in the R. conjunctipes complex.   Ramaria raveneliana NC - a small (<4cm) coral. Clampless. It might be a small variety of R. conjunctipes. No DNA yet. Ramaria longispora WA - another graceful looking slender coral like R. conjuctipes, with strong formosa colouring, but usually with a slender single white stem and perhaps a yellow "belly band". The spores are much longer, 12-18u (even longer than in R. formosa) but the hyphae are clampless. Almost a dozen local sequences tell us what this sequence probably is. Ramaria sp. 'PNW48' - another erect branched coral with peachy upper branches and yellow tips, with white branches. It is known from WA and OR, 15% different in ITS from anything else known. Ramaria sp. 'PNW52' - one single WA collection sister to R. longispora. Ramaria sp. 'WA04' - one WA collection distant in ITS from anything else. Ramaria sp. 'conjunctipes-PNW31' © Steve Ness (2 images),     R. longispora © iNaturalist user melodie52 and Steve Ness Ramaria sp. 'PNW48' © Heather Dawson,     R. sp. 'PNW52' © iNaturalist user annamycete,     R. sp. 'PNW28' © Michael Beug   Dull Colours - click to expand Species mentioned: Ramaria marrii, caulifloriformis, pallida, spinulosa var. diminutiva, acrisiccescens.   Ramaria marrii ID - cauliflower-like with dull orange-brown branches. Spring. Clampless. A sequence from near the ID border with WA and a couple of BC sequences match the unpublished type sequence. Ramaria sp. 'ID03' - a sister species much like R. marrii. Ramaria caulifloriformis MI - similar to the yellow R. cartilaginea and some consider it a synonym, but one possible east coast type area sequence suggests it might not be. It is a tan/buff cauliflower-like coral. No local sequences. Ramaria spinulosa EU var. diminutiva CA - not cauliflower-like. Brown flesh and branches. Clampless. Either this needs promoting to species, or R. marrii needs to be a variety of R. spinulosa. We have the type sequence and some matching OR sequences. Ramaria acrisiccescens WA (=Ramaria fumosiavellanea WA) - tall, erect coral, mostly white when fresh but staining brown. Clampless. Ramaria testaceoflava, in Lentoramaria, is similar but more coloured. Ramaria fumosiavellanea is similar to R. acrisiccescens, but with uniform smoky violet tones in the branches. So similar that the type sequence matches sequences of R. acrisiccescens, and it may be a synonym. They are both from 1974, but R. acrisiccescens is the more commonly used species name and was published a few pages earlier. Ramaria sp. 'pallida-PNW46' - One ID collection and a soil sample that might be from NM are 5% different in ITS2 than R. acrisiccescens, but almost identical in ITS1. The sequences are even closer to the type sequences of Ramaria pallida EU and R. pallida var. lactea EU, differing by 6 bp or so in ITS2 and also almost identical in ITS1. It is likely an interior montane species here. Ramaria velocimutans WA - pure white when young, with a "rusty root" and illustrated in that section. Ramaria marrii © Andrew Parker,     R. spinulosa var. diminutiva © Noah Siegel,     Ramaria acrisiccescens © Jonathan Frank,     R. sp. 'pallida-PNW46' © Ed Barge

Back to Main Menu