Stinking Earthfan

(Thelephora palmata)

Conservation Status
Stinking Earthfan
Photo by Honey Fae (Farah)
  IUCN Red List

not listed

 
  NatureServe

NNR - Unranked

 
  Minnesota

not listed

 
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
 
Description
 
 

Stinking Earthfan is a widespread, coral-like mushroom. It occurs in Europe, Asia, Australia, and North America. In the United States it occurs in the east from New Hampshire to North Carolina, west to Minnesota and eastern Texas. In the west it occurs west of the Rocky Mountains from Northern Washington to Central California. It is not uncommon, but it is often overlooked due to its drab brown color and irregular shape blending into its surroundings. It is found in summer and fall, in coniferous and mixed forests, also in grassy fields, alone or in groups but not clustered (gregarious). It grows on moist ground under or near coniferous trees. It has a mutually beneficial relationship (mycorrhizal) with the tiny rootlets of trees, absorbing sugars and amino acids while helping the tree absorb water.

The fruiting body is a 1¼ to 4 (3 to 10 cm) high, 1½ to 4 (4 to 10 cm) wide, coral-like tuft of many branches rising from a common, stalk-like base.

The branches are erect, cylinder-shaped, whitish, and hairless at first. As they age, they flatten out and darken. Mature branches are dark gray, dark brown, or purplish-brown, flattened, and widened toward the top, palm-like. This is the feature that gives the fungus its species epithet. They are usually paler or whitish at the still-growing tips. The surface is slightly wrinkled.

The base is ¾ to 1¼ (2 to 3 cm) high, up to 316 (5 mm) thick, and dark gray to black.

The flesh is tough, leathery or corky, and brownish to whitish. It has a strong garlic-like odor when young, becoming foul-smelling with age. It does not change color when sliced. The edibility is unknown, but the foul odor will deter most.

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
 

Thelephora anthocephala has a short but distinct stem. It does not have a strong odor.

 
     
 
Habitat and Hosts
 
 

Coniferous and mixed forests, grassy fields

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Season

 
 

Summer and fall

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

4, 7, 24, 26, 29, 30, 77.

 
  2/18/2023      
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

Widespread and not uncommon

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  Kingdom Fungi (fungi)  
  Subkingdom Dikarya  
  Phylum Basidiomycota (club fungi)  
  Subphylum Agaricomycotina (jelly fungi, yeasts, and mushrooms)  
  Class

Agaricomycetes (mushrooms, bracket fungi, puffballs, and allies)

 
 

Order

Thelephorales  
 

Family

Thelephoraceae  
 

Genus

Thelephora  
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

Clavaria palmata

Clavaria schaefferi

Merisma foetidum

Merisma palmatum

Phylacteria palmata

Ramaria palmata

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

Fetid False Coral

Stinking Earthfan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Mycorrhizal

A symbiotic, usually beneficial relationship between a fungus and the tiny rootlets of a plant, usually a tree.

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
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Honey Fae (Farah)

 
    Stinking Earthfan      
           
 
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Other Videos
 
  Thelephora palmata (Scop.) Fr. čes. plesňák zápašný
Encyklopedie hub
 
   
 
About

Oct 24, 2020

Česká republika, Vendolí

 
  Thelephora anthocephala
The wonderful world of mycology
 
   
 
About

Sep 20, 2018

Thelephora anthocephala (Bull.) Fr. 1838
Lugar: Lekeitio, Bizkaia
Hábitat: Quercus rubra, encinas
Por: Manu Merino

 

 

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Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

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  Honey Fae (Farah)
8/21/2022

Location: Duluth, MN

Stinking Earthfan  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
 

 

 

 

 

Binoculars


Created: 2/18/2023

Last Updated:

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