Smoky spindles
Clavaria fumosa
A species of Clavarioid fungi.
The smoky spindles (Clavaria fumosa), often missed due to their small size and concealment in grass, are club fungi that bear a resemblance to miniature eels. Their name originates from their smoky-grey fruiting body; the specific Latin epithet fumosa directly translates to smoky (coloration) or smoked.
In This Article
Attributes of Smoky spindles
Cap Diameter
2 - 5 mm
Height
3 - 5 cm
Cap
2 - 5 mm wide; bluntly pointed; becoming dark reddish brown to black with age
Stem
2 - 14 cm high; cylindrical; grayish, off-white, dirty yellowish; smooth, dry or moist
Flesh
Insubstantial; colored like the surface
Spore Print Color
White
Odor
Mildly mushroomy but not distinctive.
Body Color
YellowGrayWhitePink
Flesh Bruises
The flesh or milk does not discolor when bruised or cut.
Growth Form
Gregarious
Nutrient Gathering
Saprophytic
Substrate
On soil, Leaf or Needle Litter, Mosses
Occurence Habitats
Deciduous Woodland, Meadows
Species Status
Common in Britain and Ireland
Endangered Species
No
Scientific Classification of Smoky spindles
Phylum
Club fungi
Class
Mushroom-forming fungi
Order
Gilled fungi
Family
Coral fungi
Genus
Clavarioid fungi
Toxicity and Edibility of Smoky spindles
Is Smoky spindles Toxic?
Toxicity information is not available for this mushroom. Always consult with an expert before consuming any wild mushrooms.
