Ramaria gelatinosa

Ramaria gelatinosa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Fungi
Division:	Basidiomycota
Class:	Agaricomycetes
Order:	Gomphales
Family:	Gomphaceae
Genus:	Ramaria
Species:	R. gelatinosa
Binomial name
Ramaria gelatinosa Holmsk. (1790)

Ramaria gelatinosa
Mycological characteristics
	Smooth hymenium
	No distinct cap
	Hymenium attachment is irregular or not applicable
	Stipe is bare
	Ecology is mycorrhizal
	Edibility is poisonous

Ramaria gelatinosa, commonly known as the gelatinous coral, is a coral mushroom in the family Gomphaceae. It is found in Europe and North America. The species was first described by Theodor Holmskjold in 1790. ^[1]

The oregonensis variety, only reported from the Pacific Northwest, ^[2] has translucent and gelatinous flesh and a yellow band on the top part of the stem. ^[2] It can be found growing around fallen wood. ^[2] It differs microscopically from var. gelatinosa. ^[2] It is reportedly inedible, ^[3] as are most gelatinous species of the genus for most people, ^[2] and may be poisonous. ^[4]

Similar species including R. flavigelatinosa , R. gelatiniaurantia , and R. sandaricina are only mildly gelatinous. ^[2]

References

1. Holmskjold T. (1790). Beata ruris otia fungis danicis. Vol. 1. Copenhagen, Denmark. p. 81.
2. Trudell, Steve; Ammirati, Joe (2009). Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest. Timber Press Field Guides. Portland, OR: Timber Press. p. 247. ISBN   978-0-88192-935-5.
3. Miller Jr., Orson K.; Miller, Hope H. (2006). North American Mushrooms: A Field Guide to Edible and Inedible Fungi. Guilford, CN: FalconGuide. p. 347. ISBN   978-0-7627-3109-1.
4. Arora, David (1986) [1979]. Mushrooms Demystified: A Comprehensive Guide to the Fleshy Fungi (2nd ed.). Berkeley, California: Ten Speed Press. p. 655. ISBN   978-0-89815-170-1.