Small Bright Orange Club Fungus for ID

Lancashire Lad · #1 (**permalink**) 09-01-2009, 04:48 PM

Found this today, never seen any before.

I think it looks like Scarlet Caterpillar Cordyceps militaris but not sure if that would be fruiting at this time of year.

Growing amongst leaf litter in predominantly Beech woodland. - Size is about 25mm tall.

Regards
Mike.

KeenTeen17 · #2 (**permalink**) 09-01-2009, 04:53 PM

I think you were right with C. militaris,

philips says its can grow between 20 and 50 mm so this sounds about right. It also says that it grows out of dead larvae and insects in the soil

NickCantle · #3 (**permalink**) 09-01-2009, 05:24 PM

It grows out of dead caterpillars! Guaranteed that if you excavated the area underneath the specimen, it'd be growing out of a caterpillar. Excellent find, I've only seen a few

Lancashire Lad · #4 (**permalink**) 09-01-2009, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickCantle

It grows out of dead caterpillars! Guaranteed that if you excavated the area underneath the specimen, it'd be growing out of a caterpillar. Excellent find, I've only seen a few

Cheers Nick & keenteen - that's just made my day.

I only found it when I put my camera bag down to put my gloves on

What is even more surprising then, is that these two photo's were taken about 3 metres apart. I scouted around the area for about quarter of an hour, but couldn't find any more.

Regards
Mike.

KeenTeen17 · #5 (**permalink**) 09-01-2009, 05:58 PM

whats even more shocking is that I got one right

diggleken · #6 (**permalink**) 09-01-2009, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KeenTeen17

whats even more shocking is that I got one right

Hahaha

like it - I sometimes feel like cheering!(for me that is, not you getting it right!)
Great find Mike, scarlet caterpillar fungus is the common name I have used - it was my fungi of the year last year - they dont half skulk in the leaf litter or grass and are easily overlooked.
PS , KT, on another thread I cant now find, you mention Andreas our new fungi person as 'her' - I suspect Andreas is a he - I have a chum in Belgium with that name and hes definitely a chap !
cheers
Ken

KeenTeen17 · #7 (**permalink**) 09-01-2009, 06:16 PM

oh. sorry

I think the name mollisia is misleading, now I have found out its a genus of fungi

CapAndBracket · #8 (**permalink**) 09-01-2009, 06:16 PM

Quick KT, claim it was a typo (i had noticed in the other thread also).

For the Cordyceps, excellent find, last autumn was the first time i found one,
so now we both know they can be found on our respective patch.

Cheers J.P.