''Clavaria zollingeri'', commonly known as the violet coral or the magenta coral, is a widely distributed
species
A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...
of
fungus
A fungus (: fungi , , , or ; or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and mold (fungus), molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as one ...
. It produces striking tubular, purple to pinkish-violet
fruit bodies
The sporocarp (also known as fruiting body, fruit body or fruitbody) of fungi is a multicellular structure on which spore-producing structures, such as basidia or asci, are borne. The fruitbody is part of the sexual phase of a fungal life cyc ...
that grow up to tall and wide. The extreme tips of the fragile, slender branches are usually rounded and brownish. Variations in branching and color can often be used to distinguish ''C. zollingeri'' from similarly colored coral fungi such as ''
Alloclavaria purpurea'' and ''
Clavulina amethystina'', although
microscopy
Microscopy is the technical field of using microscopes to view subjects too small to be seen with the naked eye (objects that are not within the resolution range of the normal eye). There are three well-known branches of microscopy: optical mic ...
is required to reliably identify the latter species.
A typical member of the
clavarioid
The clavarioid fungi are a group of fungi in the Basidiomycota typically having erect, simple or branched basidiocarps (fruit bodies) that are formed on the ground, on decaying vegetation, or on dead wood. They are colloquially called club fungi a ...
or club fungi, ''C. zollingeri'' is
saprobic
Saprotrophic nutrition or lysotrophic nutrition is a process of chemoheterotrophic extracellular digestion involved in the processing of decayed (dead or waste) organic matter. It occurs in saprotrophs, and is most often associated with fungi ...
, deriving nutrients by breaking down organic matter. The fruit bodies are typically found growing on the ground in woodland
litter
Litter consists of waste products that have been discarded incorrectly, without consent, at an unsuitable location. The waste is objects, often man-made, such as aluminum cans, paper cups, food wrappers, cardboard boxes or plastic bottles, but ...
or in grasslands.
Taxonomy
The species was first described scientifically by French mycologist
Joseph-Henri Léveillé
Joseph-Henri Léveillé (28 May 1796 – 3 February 1870) was a French physician and mycologist who was a native of Crux-la-Ville, in the department of Nièvre.
Léveillé studied medicine and mycology at the University of Paris, and in 1824 rec ...
in 1846.
[ It was named after Swiss botanist ]Heinrich Zollinger
Heinrich Zollinger (22 March 1818 – 19 May 1859) was a Swiss botanist.
Zollinger was born in Feuerthalen, Switzerland.
From 1837 to 1838 he studied botany at the University of Geneva under Augustin and Alphonse Pyramus de Candolle, but ha ...
, who researched the genus ''Clavaria
''Clavaria'' is a genus of fungi in the family Clavariaceae. Species of ''Clavaria'' produce basidiocarps (fruit bodies) that are either cylindrical to club-shaped or branched and coral-like. They are often grouped with similar-looking species ...
'',[ and collected the ]type specimen
In biology, a type is a particular wikt:en:specimen, specimen (or in some cases a group of specimens) of an organism to which the scientific name of that organism is formally associated. In other words, a type is an example that serves to ancho ...
in Java
Java is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea (a part of Pacific Ocean) to the north. With a population of 156.9 million people (including Madura) in mid 2024, proje ...
, Indonesia. Léveillé considered the dichotomous branching to be the prominent characteristic that separated this species from the otherwise similar ''Clavaria amethystina''.[ American ]Charles Horton Peck
Charles Horton Peck (March 30, 1833 – July 11, 1917) was an American mycologist of the 19th and early 20th centuries. He was the New York State Botanist from 1867 to 1915, a period in which he described over 2,700 species of North American fu ...
published a species collected from Stow, Massachusetts
Stow is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The town is located west of Boston, in the MetroWest region of Massachusetts. The population was 7,174 at the 2020 census. Stow was officially incorporated in 1683 with an are ...
as ''Clavaria lavendula'' in 1910,[ but this is a ]synonym
A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means precisely or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language. For example, in the English language, the words ''begin'', ''start'', ''commence'', and ''initiate'' are a ...
. The mushroom is commonly known as the "violet coral",[ or the "magenta coral".][
In a 1978 classification of the genus ''Clavaria'', Ronald Petersen placed ''C. zollingeri'' in the ]subgenus
In biology, a subgenus ( subgenera) is a taxonomic rank directly below genus.
In the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, a subgeneric name can be used independently or included in a species name, in parentheses, placed between the ge ...
''Clavaria'', a grouping of species with clamp connection
A clamp connection is a hook-like structure formed by growing hyphal cells of certain fungi. It is a characteristic feature of basidiomycete fungi. It is created to ensure that each cell, or segment of hypha separated by septa (cross walls), rece ...
s absent from all septa
SEPTA, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, is a regional public transportation authority that operates bus, rapid transit, commuter rail, light rail, and electric trolleybus services for nearly four million people througho ...
in the fruit body; others in the subgenus included '' C. purpurea'', '' C. fumosa'', and the type
Type may refer to:
Science and technology Computing
* Typing, producing text via a keyboard, typewriter, etc.
* Data type, collection of values used for computations.
* File type
* TYPE (DOS command), a command to display contents of a file.
* ...
, '' C. fragilis''.[ A large-scale ]molecular
A molecule is a group of two or more atoms that are held together by attractive forces known as chemical bonds; depending on context, the term may or may not include ions that satisfy this criterion. In quantum physics, organic chemistry, ...
analysis of the phylogenetic
In biology, phylogenetics () is the study of the evolutionary history of life using observable characteristics of organisms (or genes), which is known as phylogenetic inference. It infers the relationship among organisms based on empirical dat ...
distributions and limits of clavarioid fungi in the family Clavariaceae
The Clavariaceae are a family of fungi in the order Agaricales. Originally the family contained most of the clavarioid fungi (club and coral fungi), but in its current sense is more restricted, albeit with a greater diversity of basidiocarp (frui ...
was published by Bryn Dentiger and David McLaughlin in 2006. Based on their analysis of ribosomal DNA
The ribosomal DNA (rDNA) consists of a group of ribosomal RNA encoding genes and related regulatory elements, and is widespread in similar configuration in all domains of life. The ribosomal DNA encodes the non-coding ribosomal RNA, integral struc ...
sequences, ''C. zollingeri'' shared the greatest genetic similarity with '' Clavulinopsis laeticolor''. Petersen's concept of the infrageneric classification of ''Clavaria'' was largely rejected in this analysis, as two of the three subgenera he proposed were found to be polyphyletic
A polyphyletic group is an assemblage that includes organisms with mixed evolutionary origin but does not include their most recent common ancestor. The term is often applied to groups that share similar features known as Homoplasy, homoplasies ...
.[
]
Description
The coloring of the fruit bodies is quite variable, ranging from violet to amethyst
Amethyst is a Violet (color), violet variety of quartz. The name comes from the Koine Greek from - , "not" and (Ancient Greek) / (Modern Greek), "intoxicate", a reference to the belief that the stone protected its owner from Alcohol into ...
,[ 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 tall and 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.][
In ]mass
Mass is an Intrinsic and extrinsic properties, intrinsic property of a physical body, body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the physical quantity, quantity of matter in a body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physi ...
, the spores (produced on the surface of the branches) are white. Light microscopy
Microscopy is the technical field of using microscopes to view subjects too small to be seen with the naked eye (objects that are not within the resolution range of the normal eye). There are three well-known branches of microscopy: optical, el ...
reveals additional details: the spore
In biology, a spore is a unit of sexual reproduction, sexual (in fungi) or asexual reproduction that may be adapted for biological dispersal, dispersal and for survival, often for extended periods of time, in unfavourable conditions. Spores fo ...
s are roughly spherical to broadly elliptical, with dimensions of 4–7 by 3–5 μm
The micrometre (Commonwealth English as used by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures; SI symbol: μm) or micrometer (American English), also commonly known by the non-SI term micron, is a unit of length in the International System ...
.[ They have a clear apiculus about 1 μm long, and a single large oil droplet.][ The ]basidia
A basidium (: basidia) is a microscopic spore-producing structure found on the hymenophore of reproductive bodies of basidiomycete fungi. The presence of basidia is one of the main characteristic features of the group. These bodies are also ...
(spore-bearing cells) are four-spored, do not have clamps, and measure 50–60 by 7–9 μm, gradually widening at the apex.[
]
Similar species
Other lavender to violet-colored corals include ''Clavulina amethystinoides
''Clavulina amethystinoides'' is a species of fungus in the family Clavulinaceae. It was originally named ''Clavaria amethystinoides'' by American mycologist Charles Horton Peck in 1907; E.J.H. Corner transferred it to ''Clavulina'' in 1950.
Ref ...
'', 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
''Clavaria'' is a genus of fungi in the family Clavariaceae. Species of ''Clavaria'' produce basidiocarps (fruit bodies) that are either cylindrical to club-shaped or branched and coral-like. They are often grouped with similar-looking species ...
'' species.[ In '' Alloclavaria purpurea'', the branching is reduced and the color usually a duller purple.] The Australian coral '' Clavaria versatilis'' is also similar in appearance to ''C. zollingeri'', 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 —could be mistaken for a small ''C. zollingeri''.][ It has roughly spherical spores measuring 4–7 by 3–5 μm.][ '' Ramaria purpurissima'' is larger and has an orangish spore print.]
Habitat and distribution
The fruit bodies of ''C. zollingeri'' grow either solitarily, in groups, or in clusters on the ground in grassy spots, usually near hardwood
Hardwood is wood from Flowering plant, angiosperm trees. These are usually found in broad-leaved temperate and tropical forests. In temperate and boreal ecosystem, boreal latitudes they are mostly deciduous, but in tropics and subtropics mostl ...
trees,[ or with mosses.][ It is a ]saprobic
Saprotrophic nutrition or lysotrophic nutrition is a process of chemoheterotrophic extracellular digestion involved in the processing of decayed (dead or waste) organic matter. It occurs in saprotrophs, and is most often associated with fungi ...
species, deriving nutrients by breaking down organic matter. It has a widespread distribution, and has been found in Australia,[ New Zealand,] North America, South America,[ and Asia (including ]Brunei
Brunei, officially Brunei Darussalam, is a country in Southeast Asia, situated on the northern coast of the island of Borneo. Apart from its coastline on the South China Sea, it is completely surrounded by the Malaysian state of Sarawak, with ...
,[ India,][ and ]Korea
Korea is a peninsular region in East Asia consisting of the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island, and smaller islands. Since the end of World War II in 1945, it has been politically Division of Korea, divided at or near the 38th parallel north, 3 ...
).[ In North America, the distribution is restricted to the northeastern regions of the continent but have been found in some isolated areas as far south as Northern Arkansas.][ Rare in Europe, it is listed in the Red Lists of threatened species in ]Denmark
Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...
and Great Britain. In Ireland, it is used as an indicator species
A bioindicator is any species (an indicator species) or group of species whose function, population, or status can reveal the qualitative status of the environment. The most common indicator species are animals. For example, copepods and other sma ...
to help assess the fungal diversity of nutrient-poor grasslands
A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominated by grasses (Poaceae). However, sedge ( Cyperaceae) and rush ( Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes such as clover, and other herbs. Grasslands occur ...
, a habitat under threat. It was recorded from the Netherlands for the first time in 2006.[
]
Edibility
Although reported to be edible
An edible item is any item that is safe for humans to eat. "Edible" is differentiated from " eatable" because it does not indicate how an item tastes, only whether it is fit to be eaten. Nonpoisonous items found in nature – such as some mushroo ...
in small quantities, the fragile fruit bodies are of limited culinary value, and may have a laxative
Laxatives, purgatives, or aperients are substances that loosen stools and increase bowel movements. They are used to treat and prevent constipation.
Laxatives vary as to how they work and the side effects they may have. Certain stimulant, lubri ...
effect.[ Some guides say it is inedible.]
Bioactive compounds
''Clavaria zollingeri'' contains lectin
Lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins that are highly specific for sugar Moiety (chemistry), groups that are part of other molecules, so cause agglutination (biology), agglutination of particular cells or precipitation of glycoconjugates an ...
s, a class of protein
Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residue (biochemistry), residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including Enzyme catalysis, catalysing metab ...
s that bind specific carbohydrate
A carbohydrate () is a biomolecule composed of carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O) atoms. The typical hydrogen-to-oxygen atomic ratio is 2:1, analogous to that of water, and is represented by the empirical formula (where ''m'' and ''n'' ...
s on the surface of cells, causing them to clump together. A Korean study demonstrated that extracts of the fungus caused lymphoagglutination, a specific form of agglutination
In linguistics, agglutination is a morphology (linguistics), morphological process in which words are formed by stringing together morphemes (word parts), each of which corresponds to a single Syntax, syntactic feature. Languages that use agglu ...
that involves white blood cell
White blood cells (scientific name leukocytes), also called immune cells or immunocytes, are cells of the immune system that are involved in protecting the body against both infectious disease and foreign entities. White blood cells are genera ...
s.[ In general, lectins are used in ]blood typing
Blood compatibility testing is conducted in a medical laboratory to identify potential incompatibilities between Human blood group systems, blood group systems in blood transfusion. It is also used to diagnose and prevent some complications of pr ...
and serology
Serology is the scientific study of Serum (blood), serum and other body fluids. In practice, the term usually refers to the medical diagnosis, diagnostic identification of Antibody, antibodies in the serum. Such antibodies are typically formed in r ...
, and they are widely used in affinity chromatography
Affinity chromatography is a method of separating a biomolecule from a mixture, based on a highly specific macromolecular binding interaction between the biomolecule and another substance. The specific type of binding interaction depends on the ...
for purifying proteins.
References
External links
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*
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2414233
Clavariaceae
Fungi of Asia
Fungi of Australia
Fungi of Europe
Fungi of New Zealand
Fungi of North America
Fungi of South America
Fungi described in 1846
Taxa named by Joseph-Henri Léveillé
Fungus species