Reed hornworm (Clavaria delphus ligula)
- Division: Basidiomycota (Basidiomycetes)
- Subdivision: Agaricomycotina (Agaricomycetes)
- Class: Agaricomycetes (Agaricomycetes)
- Subclass: Phallomycetidae (Velkovye)
- Order: Gomphales
- Family: Clavariadelphaceae (Clavariadelphic)
- Genus: Clavariadelphus (Klavariadelphus)
- Type: Clavariadelphus ligula (Reed Hornworm)
Reed horn (lat. Clavariadelphus ligula) is an edible mushroom from the genus Clavariadelphus (lat. Clavariadelphus).
fruiting body:
Upright, tongue-shaped, somewhat widened at the top (sometimes to the shape of a pistil), often slightly flattened; height 7-12 cm, thickness – 1-3 cm (in the widest part). The surface of the body is smooth and dry, at the base and in older mushrooms it may be slightly wrinkled, the color in young specimens is soft cream, but with age, as the spores mature (which ripen directly on the surface of the fruiting body), it turns into a characteristic yellowness. The pulp is light, whitish, dry, without a noticeable smell.
Spore powder:
Light yellow.
Spread:
The reed hornworm occurs from mid-July to the end of September in coniferous or mixed forests, in mosses, possibly forming mycorrhiza with them. Rarely seen, but in large groups.
Similar species:
The reed hornbill can be confused with other members of the Clavariadelphus genus, especially with the (apparently) rarer pistil hornbill, Clavariadelphus pistillaris. The one is larger and more “pistil” in appearance. From representatives of the genus Cordyceps, a beige-yellow color of the fruiting bodies can be a good distinguishing feature.
Edibility:
The mushroom is considered edible, however, it has not been seen in mass preparations.