Often overlooked because they're small and hidden in the grass, the smoky spindles(Clavaria fumosa) are so-called "club" fungi that resemble tiny eels. It got its name after its smoky-grey fruit body — the specific Latin epithet fumosa means "smoky (coloration), smoked".
Cap Diameter:
2 - 5 mm
Odor:
Mildly mushroomy but not distinctive.
In This Article
Attributes
Similar Species
Tips for Finding
Clean and Preserve
Common Questions
General Info About Smoky spindles
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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
Stem Cross Sections
Hollow or cottony hollow
Flesh
Insubstantial; colored like the surface
Spore Print Color
White
Odor
Mildly mushroomy but not distinctive.
Body Color
Yellow
Gray
White
Pink
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
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Habitat of Smoky spindles
Smoky spindles thrives in dense clusters within wooded areas, often amidst grass or moss, preferring unimproved grassland, woodland edges, and clearings.
