ne trees, but I find it about
Chillicothe in mixed woods, in which there are no pine trees at all. It
is found after frequent rains, from August to October. As an edible, it
is fairly good.

_Clavaria formosa. Pers._

BEAUTIFUL CLAVARIA. EDIBLE.

[Illustration: Figure 392.--Clavaria formosa. Three-fourths its natural
size.]

Formosa is from _formosus_, meaning finely formed.

This plant is two to six inches high, trunk rather thick, often over an
inch in thickness; whitish, or yellowish, elastic, the branches
numerous, crowded, elongated, divided at the ends into yellow
branchlets, which are thin, straight, obtuse or toothed.

The spores are elongated-oval, rough, buff-colored, 16x8u.

This is an extremely beautiful plant, very tender or brittle. When the
plant is quite young, just coming through the ground, the tips of the
branches are often of a bright red or pink. This bright color soon
fades, leaving the entire plant a light yellow in color.

The plant has a wide distribution, and is found on the ground in the
woods, frequently growing in rows. While the handsomest of the
Clavarias, it is not the best, and only the tender parts of the plant
should be used. It is found from July to October. The specimen in Figure
392 was found in Poke Hollow.

_Clavaria cristata. Pers._

THE CRESTED CLAVARIA. EDIBLE.

[Illustration: _Photo by C. G. Lloyd._

Figure 393.--Clavaria cristata.]

Cristata is from _cristatus_, crested. This is a smaller plant than the
C. flava or C. botrytes. It is usually two to three inches high, white
or whitish, the tufts of broad flattened branches, sometimes tinged with
a dull pink or creamy-yellow. The branches are numerous, widened and
flattened above, deeply cut into several finger-like points, sometimes
so numerous as to give it a crested appearance. This peculiar
characteristic distinguishes it from C. coralloides. When the plant is
old the tips usually turn brown.

Sometimes a form will be found in which the crested appearance is
wanting, and in that case the branches terminate in blunt points. The
stem is short and inclined to be spongy.

It is found in the woods, in cool, moist, shady places. While it is
tougher than some of the other species, if cut fine and well cooked it
is very good. I have eaten it for years. It is found from June to
October.

_Clavaria coronata. Schw._

THE CROWNED CLAVARIA. EDIBLE.

[Illustration: _Photo by C. G. Lloyd._

Figure 394.--Cl