Image of Ramaria gracilis (Pers.) Quél. 1888

Description:

Slo.: janeeva griva - syn.: Ramaria palmata (Pers.) Quelet - Habitat: conifer wood, river bank, in transition slope between two alluvial terraces, calcareous ground, overgrown river deposits, sand and gravel, in shade, humid place, under Picea abies, partly protected from direct rain by tree canopies, average precipitations ~ 3.000 mm/year, average temperature 7-9 deg C, elevation 560 m (1.850 feet), alpine phytogeographical region. - Substratum: among mosses on organic litter on soil. - Comments: Proper determination of Ramaria species is almost always above my capabilities. They are very variable and never quite the same. There are many of them and they change their habitus and colors during life cycle very much. In 'traditional', non-specialized literature, they are regularly treated only briefly. Too 'hot terrain' for non-professionals! So, for an amateur there are usually only small chances for a reliable determination. - Surprisingly, with this find the key published in Ref.: 2. led me directly to Ramaria gracilis with no ambiguities. The key features are small size, very delicate fruit bodies, white color and characteristic fragrant smell. Other traits, as well as habitat, fit well too. - Ramaria gracilis seems to be quite a rare find in Slovenia. Only a few records are in the Slovenian 'Boletus Informaticus myco-data base. Literature states the same for other European countries. The species was extinct from Netherlands already in 1900 (Ref.:2). - Growing in rows of more than 10 sporocarps; sporocarps up to 6 cm tall and 3.5-4.5 cm wide; stipe up to 7 mm thick; smell pleasant, on sweets, cakes, anise; taste mild, pleasant, mushroomy; SP abundant, yellowish with slight green tin (oac5) when fresh and when dry pale ocher, oac813; fresh sporocarps white, dry sporocarps light ocher, oac855; 5% KOH reaction on trama orange-brown, oac805. - Spores unregularly warty. Dimensions: 5,9 [6,4 ; 6,6] 7,1 x 3,3 [3,5 ; 3,6] 3,9 microns; Q = 1,6 [1,8] 2; N = 45; C = 95%; Me = 6,5 x 3,6 microns. Olympus CH20, NEA 100x/1.25, magnification 1.000 x, oil, in water. AmScope MA500 digital camera. - Herbarium: Mycotheca and lichen herbarium (LJU-Li) of Slovenian Forestry Institute, Vena pot 2, Ljubljana, Index Herbariorum LJF. - Ref.: (1) S. Buczacki, Collins Fungi Guide, Collins (2012), p 464. (2) G.J. Krieglsteiner (Hrsg.), Die Grosspilze Baden-Wrttembergs, Band 2., Ulmer (2000), p 79. (3) J. Breitenbach, F. Kraenzlin, Eds., Fungi of Switzerland, vol.2.,Verlag Mykologia (1986), p 366. (4) E. Shield, Was ist Ramaria aurea und Ramaria flava, Z. Mykol. Vol. 44, No. 2, (1978), pp 171-178.