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Erect horned or hard ramaria is an unusual species of mushroom that looks like a bizarre coral or deer antlers. In various catalogs, he is classified as a representative of the Gomfov, Fox, Rogatikov or Ramariev family.
Where straight horns grow
Horned beetle is found in conifers and mixed forests of North America and Eurasia. In Russia, it grows in the Far Eastern and European parts. Prefers to settle in spruce and pine forests. The fruiting body of the fungus develops on decaying wood, in particular on old trunks that have grown into the soil, less often a straight line can be seen on the ground under bushes. It is the only tree species of the genus Ramaria. Fruiting occurs in the summer-autumn period, the species can grow both singly and in rows.
What do slingshots look like?
Ramaria rigid is a set of branched branches fused together on a thin and dense base. The color of the shoots ranges from light orange and peach to ocher brown, the tips are light yellow. With age, the tips dry out and turn brown. When pressed or damaged, the pulp acquires a wine-red hue, the same process can be observed on the cut.
The height of the fruiting body is 5-10 cm, the branches grow parallel and mainly upward. The diameter of the straight slingshot is usually half the height. The leg has a light yellowish tint; in some specimens, a blue-purple tint can be seen. The diameter of the leg rarely exceeds 1 cm, the height ranges from 1 to 6 cm.
The mycelial cord, which fixes the fungus to the substrate, is located at the base of the stem. It looks like thin snow-white threads. At the point of contact of the fruiting body with wood or soil, an accumulation of mycelium can be observed.
In various reference books, the straight slingshot is sometimes found under other names:
- hard ramaria (Ramaria stricta);
- ramaria straight;
- Lachnocladium odoratum;
- Clavaria stricta;
- Clavaria syringarum;
- Clavaria pruinella;
- Clavariella stricta;
- Corallium stricta;
- Merisma strictum.
Is it possible to eat straight slingshots
Ramaria straight is considered inedible. The pulp has a pleasant aroma, however, it tastes bitter and pungent. The structure of the pulp is elastic, dense, rubbery.
How to distinguish straight slingshots
Straight catfish can be confused with Calocera viscosa. On closer inspection, significant differences can be found between the species. The color of gummy calocera is more saturated, almost flashy. The fruit body can have a bright yellow or bright orange hue. The height of the calocera does not exceed 10 cm. Numerous branches branch dichotomously, that is, the main axis bifurcates and stops its own growth. This branching is repeated many times, as a result of which the mushroom becomes like a bush, coral or a frozen fire. Refers to inedible.
Ramaria ordinary (Ramaria eumorpha) is the closest relative of the straight horned. The species are very similar in appearance. The fungus is distributed throughout the territory of the Russian Federation, where there are coniferous forests.Fruiting from late July to early October. It grows in groups on spruce or pine bedding, often forms the so-called "witch's circles".
The vertical ramifications of the common ramaria are distinguished by sharper tips relative to the straight ramaria. The fruit body is represented by a dense bush with a height of 1.5-9 cm and a diameter of up to 6 cm. The fungus is uniformly colored in light ocher or ocher brown, numerous thorns and warts are present on the surface of the branches.
Artomyces pyxidatus (Artomyces pyxidatus) can also be mistaken for a straight horn. The species has vertical coral-like ramifications. The fruit body is colored ocher-yellowish calm color. The clavicorona can be distinguished from the straight clavicoron by its size: sometimes it grows up to 20 cm in height. Another difference is the characteristic crown-shaped tips, which from a distance resemble the crenellated towers of a medieval castle. The habitats of the species are also different. Unlike the straight slingshot, the lamellar clavicorona likes to grow on decaying deciduous wood, especially on old aspen logs.
Conclusion
The straight horned is an interesting representative of the mushroom kingdom. Along with other related species, it is undoubtedly an adornment of Russian forests.
