Thelephora palmata
Syst. mycol. 1: 432. 1821.
Common Name: none
For description see Burt, Siegel & Schwarz, & 'California Mushrooms'.
Solitary to scattered in soil under conifers; fruiting from fall through winter, widely distributed, but not common.
Unknown. The rank odor would be a deterrent.
Thelephora palmata can be recognized by tufted, coral-like, dark brown to purplish brown fruitbodies with flattened branches and branch tips. In combination with a tough corky texture and strongly rank garlic-like odor and taste, it is not likely to be confused with other coralloid fungi. Thelephora terrestris is similar in texture and coloration but has a mild earthy odor and fan-shaped fruitbodies with a hispid-tomentose upper surface.
Breitenbach, J. & Kränzlin, F. (1986). Fungi of Switzerland. Volume 2: Non-Gilled Fungi. Verlag Mykologia: Luzern, Switzerland. 412 p.
Burt, E.A. (1914). The Thelephoraceae of North America. I. Thelephora. Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 1: 185-228. (PDF)
Corner, E.J.H. (1968). A Monograph of Thelephora (Basidiomycetes). J. Cramer: Lehre. 110 p.
Desjardin, D.E., Wood, M.G. & Stevens, F.A. (2015). California Mushrooms: The Comprehensive Identification Guide. Timber Press: Portland, OR. 560 p.
Ellis, M.B. & Ellis, J.P. (1990). Fungi without Gills (Hymenomycetes and Gasteromycetes). Chapman and Hall: London, England. 329 p.
Siegel, N. & Schwarz, C. (2016). Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast. Ten Speed Press: Berkeley, CA. 601 p.
