DACRYMYCETACEAE J. Schrot
Minute to small; typically on or near wood; saprophytic
8 Genera; 63 Species
Basidioma gum drop-shaped, coralloid, or knob-like, sometimes somewhat cup-shaped, rubbery, pliant,
flabby, or gelatinous, bright yellow to orange, sometimes with reddish tints. Hymenophore basically
smooth; basidia Y -shaped. Stipe absent or very rudimentary. Spore print yellowish to almost ochraceous;
spores elliptical, usually elongated, typically smooth, developing crosswalls.
The DACRYMYCETACEAE is a family of saprophytic jelly fungi separated from other jelly fungi by the
yellow to orange pigments and the Y -shaped basidia. The CERINOMYCETACEAE share these characteristics, but are
resupinate and membranous-ceraceous in form.
Three genera are found in western North America, two of which are documented from the region
1- Basidioma gum drop shaped, sometimes cupped apically Guepiniopsis
1- Basidioma shaped differently.
2- Basidioma coralloid or club-shaped Calocera
2- Basidioma glob-, knob-, fold-, or brain-like Dacrymyces
CALOCERA
STAGHORN OR CLUB JELLY FUNGI
Minute to small; on or near wood; saprophytic
Basidioma coralloid or club-shaped, erect, rubbery, pliant, solitary to clustered, bright yellow to orange;
context gelatinous, tough. Stipe present, often rooting, yellowish to whitish. Spore print yellowish to
ochraceous; spores elongated elliptical, smooth, developing 1 cross wall.
Calocera is a fairly widespread genus on both conifers and hardwoods. The typically coralloid shape of the
basidioma distinguishes the genus among the jellied fungi. Not known from the region, but worth looking for in early
spring with other members of the family. ).
1. Basidioma branched, apices forked, darker yellow colored ... 1. C. viscosa
1. Basidioma club shaped or only sparingly branched, apices pointed not forked, pale yellow ... 2. C. cornea
1. C. viscosa (Pers. ex Fr.) Fries
STAGHORN JELLY FUNGUS
Basidioma 2-7(10) cm tall, 1-4(5) cm wide, erect, branched; branches pliant, tough, cylindrical, somewhat viscid,
apices typically forked with 2-3 tips, bright yellow, orange-yellow to golden yellow, sometimes orange; basidia yshaped; context tough, often somewhat gelatinous; stipe present as a dry, hairy, whitish to yellow basally, typically
extending to form a whitish mycelial thread. Spore print dingy yellowish to ochraceous; spores 9-14 x 3-5 µ,
elliptical, smooth, developing a single cross-wall.
Substrate rotting wood and forest debris.
Habitat solitary or scattered, sometimes in small groups on or near rotting wood in conifer forests and woodlands.
Edibility probably edible, but hardly worth the effort.
Fruiting Season fall to spring.
Notes name means ‘having a marked degree of viscidity.’ Somewhat reminiscent of coral fungi, C. viscosa lacks the
brittle characteristic of the corals. Widely distributed in the northern conifer forests of the continent, there are reports of
its presence in and near the region in the higher sub alpine conifer forests. It is most likely to be found in those areas
after the snowmelt or with the early fall rains and snows.
2. C. cornea (Batsch) Fr.
CLUB JELLY FUNGI
Basidioma to 1-12 mm tall, erect, club-like or sometimes sparingly branched, cylindrical, pointed, tapering apically,
hairy basally, pale yellow, apices frequently browning, white basally, horny and brown when dry; context thin, elastic,
yellowish. Spore print yellowish; spores 7-9 x 4-4.5 µ, elliptical, depressed laterally, smooth, ochraceous.
Substrate rotting wood and forest debris.
Habitat solitary or grouped to clustered on rotting twigs or branches of hardwoods or occasionally conifers, typically
from cracks in the wood. Occasionally in soil duff with a high woody content beneath the forest canopy.
Edibility too small to be of value.
Fruiting Season fall to spring, occasionally during wetter periods in the summer at higher elevations.
Notes name means ‘horn-like.’ C. cornea is a widespread species in the Northern Hemisphere. Several varieties and
forms have been described, but since it is as yet unknown from the region, speculation as to which varieties are present
here is unwarranted and premature. Superficially resembling a small unbranched coral fungus, but lacking the brittle
texture characteristic of the true corals.
DACRYMYCES Nees
WITCH'S BUTTER
Minute to small; on wood; saprophytic
Basidioma fold-like, wavy, or blob-like, rubbery, pliant, often arising from fissures in the wood. Stipe
absent or present only as a narrowed, pointed, whitish attachment point at the base of the basidioma. Spore
print yellowish; spores elongated elliptical, smooth, developing cross walls.
Dacrymyces has two widespread species documented from the region. Both are found in the spring and the
fall, but seem to be more abundant after fall rains typically on conifers. They may easily be confused for Tremella
mesenterica.
1. Fruiting in large masses or rows; basidioma more drop- or glob-shaped .... 1. D. stillatus
1. Fruiting not occurring in large masses or rows; basidioma more wave, fold, or leaflike
2. Fruiting body orange-green ... 3. D. minor
2. Fruiting body differently colored ... 2. D. palmatus
1. D. stillatus Nees
Basidioma 2-10 mm tall, 1-5 mm wide. Drop or knob-shaped, sometimes rounded, often contorted with age, sessile or
slightly stipitate, typically lacking a margin, yellow or yellow-orange, sometimes with reddish tints; context gelatinous,
translucent to transparent, pale yellow; odor typically lacking. Spore print whitish; spores 8-22 x 4-7 µ, cylindrical,
incurved, smooth, septate with up to 9 cross walls.
Substrate fallen wood.
Habitat gregarious, typically in large masses or rows on fallen conifer wood.
Edibility not edible.
Fruiting Season cool, wet periods, especially fall.
Notes name means ‘drop-like.’ D. stillatus tends to be found immediately after fall rains in our region on or near fallen
conifer logs. Occasionally fruiting bodies may be found on the duff when high amounts of woody material are nearby.
Often called D. deliquescens by many authors. D. punctiformis Neuhoff, is a similar shaped species that is smaller and
dot-like that has been reported from the region as D. tortus.
2. D. palmatus (Schw.) Bres.
Basidioma 1-2.5 cm tall, 1-6 cm wide, lobed, convoluted mass, lobes with definite margins, gelatinous, tough when
fresh, horny when dry, orange-yellow to orange, sometimes deep orange-red; stipe reduced to a point of attachment,
whitish; context gelatinous, somewhat tough, becoming softer in age, often melting away with advancing age; odor
nondescript to absent. Spore print yellowish; spores 17-25 x 6-8 µ, cylindrical, often somewhat curved, smooth, to 7
cross walls.
Substrate fallen wood and stumps.
Habitat typically in masses erupting from cracks in the wood of fallen conifer and their stumps.
Edibility not edible.
Fruiting Season Spring thru fall, fruiting with wet weather.
Notes name means ‘ resembling the palm of a hand.’ D. palmatus may be found on conifer wood whenever there is
sufficient moisture present to trigger fruiting. In our region it is often most common after heavy monsoon rains.
3. D. minor Pk.
Basidioma 0.5-3 mm tall, lobed, convoluted mass, lobes with definite margins, gelatinous, tough when fresh, horny
when dry, orange-green, sometimes deep orange-red; stipe reduced to a point of attachment, whitish; context
gelatinous, somewhat tough, becoming softer in age, often melting away with advancing age; odor nondescript to
absent. Spore print yellowish; spores 17-25 x 6-8 µ, cylindrical, often somewhat curved, smooth.
Substrate fallen wood and stumps.
Habitat typically in masses erupting from cracks in the wood of fallen hardwoods and occasionally conifers and their
stumps.
Edibility not edible.
Fruiting Season Late winter thru spring.
Notes name means ‘ little.’ D. minor may be found on hardwoods whenever there is sufficient moisture present to
trigger fruiting. It is a rather uncommon member of the fungal flora in the region, but has been documented throughout
the Columbia River Basin.
GUEPINIOPSIS Pat.
ALPINE JELLY CONES, POOR MAN'S GUMDROPS
Minute to small; on wood; saprophytic
Basidioma cone- or gumdrop-shaped, sometimes somewhat cup-shaped, smooth, flabby or gelatinous,
yellow to orange, sometimes reddish orange. Stipe present only as a narrowed attachment point. Spore
print yellowish; spores elongated elliptical, typically smooth, developing 3-4-crosswalls.
Gueniniopsis, whose most common species in our area is G. alpinus, is found almost exclusively with or
shortly after the snow melts in the spring on conifer wood. In wet years it tends to be rather abundant, and is a
prominent member of the Rocky Mountain snowbank fungal flora. A second species, G. chrysocomus, is found on
hardwoods and is more cupulate in form is as yet undocumented from the region. Dried specimens of both species
rehydrate readily in water.
1. Fruiting with the spring snow melt off; drop shaped ... 1. G. alpinus
1. Fruiting later in the year; somewhat cupulate ... 2. G. chrysocomus
1. G. alpinus (Tracy & Earle) Bres.
ALPINE JELLY CONES, POOR MAN’S GUMDROPS
Basidioma 0.2-1 cm tall, 0.3-2 cm wide, cone to almost cup shaped, frequently top-shaped; surface smooth, yellow to
orange, occasionally reddish-orange; context gelatinous; stipe present as a narrowed point of attachment. Spore print
yellowish; spores 11-18 x 4-6 µ, cylindrical, curved, smooth, with 3-4 cross-walls.
Substrate dead wood and forest debris.
Habitat scattered to gregarious on fallen conifer wood, occasionally on living conifer twigs beneath drifted snow.
Edibility presumed edible, but hardly worth large enough to be worth the effort of trying to collect enough to eat.
Fruiting Season April – June, July in the highest or more protected areas.
Notes name means ‘alpine dwelling.’ Frequent and rather common as the snow melts in the spring, G. alpinus, is a
distinctive member of the regional snow bank fungus. It is most common in North America from the Rocky Mountains
west to the Pacific Coast. It is often placed in Heterotextus by some authors, but Ainsworth’s and Bisbee’s Dictionary
of the Fungi, 9th edition places Heterotextus in Guepiniopsis.
2. G. chrysocoma (Bull.) Brasf.
Basidioma 0.2-1 cm tall, 0.3-2 cm wide, cup shaped; surface smooth, yellow to orange, occasionally reddish-orange;
context gelatinous; stipe present as a narrowed point of attachment. Spore print yellowish; spores 11-18 x 4-6 µ,
cylindrical, curved, smooth, with 3-4 cross-walls.
Substrate dead wood and forest debris.
Habitat scattered to gregarious on fallen hardwood.
Edibility presumed edible, but hardly worth large enough to be worth the effort of trying to collect enough to eat.
Fruiting Season April – June, July in the highest or more protected areas.
Notes name means ‘gold mane.’ G. chrysocoma is a widespread species found throughout North America, although
somewhat sporadically in our region. It is differentiated from G. alpinus by its more cupulate shape.