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Telefora palmata (Thelephora palmata) or also referred to as telefora palmata is a coral mushroom belonging to the family of the same name Thelephoraceae (Telephorae). It is considered quite common, but it is difficult to notice this mushroom, since it has an unusual appearance that blends well with the environment.
Some facts from history
In 1772, Giovanni Antonio Scopoli, a naturalist from Italy, made a detailed description of the telephon for the first time. In his work, he named this mushroom Clavaria palmata. But after almost 50 years, in 1821, the mycologist (botanist) Elias Fries from Sweden transferred him to the genus Telephor. The mushroom itself has received many names over the entire period of research, since it has been assigned several times to different families (Ramaria, Merisma and Phylacteria). Also in many English-language sources there are its names that are associated with an unpleasant odor, for example, "fetid false coral" which means "stinking fake coral", or "stinking earthfan" - "stinking fan". Even Samuel Frederick Gray, in his 1821 work titled The Natural Arrangement of British Plants, described the finger telephorus as a “stinking branch-ear”.
According to Mordechai Cubitt Cook, a mycologist (botanist) from England, who told in 1888 that one day one of the scientists decided to take several copies of the telephora of the palmate for research. But the smell of these samples was so unbearable that he had to wrap the samples in 12 layers of paper to stop the stench.
In modern numerous sources, it is also indicated that the finger telephon has a rather unpleasant pungent odor, however, from the description it becomes clear that it is not as fetid as Cook recounted about it.
What does a finger phone look like?
The telephon is finger-shaped in shape and resembles a bush. The fruit body is coral-like, branched, where the branches are narrower at the base closer, and upward - expanding like a fan, divided into numerous flattened teeth.
Branches of a brown shade, often located, flattened, covered with longitudinal grooves. Often with light edging. The young mushroom has whitish, slightly pink or creamy branches, but with growth they become darker, almost gray, and at maturity they have a lilac-brown color.
In length, the fruit body is from 3 to 8 cm, located on a small stalk, which reaches approximately 15-20 mm in length and 2-5 mm in width. The surface of the leg is uneven, often warty.
The pulp is fibrous, tough, brown in the cut, has an unpleasant smell of rotten cabbage, which becomes stronger after the pulp dries. The spores are irregularly angular, purple, with microscopic spines. Spore powder - from brown to brown.
Is the mushroom edible or not
Finger telephon belongs to a number of inedible ones. It is not poisonous.
Where and how it grows
Finger telephones are found in:
- Europe;
- Asia;
- North and South America.
It was also recorded in Australia and Fiji. In Russia, it is more common in:
- Novosibirsk region;
- Altai Republic;
- in the forest zones of Western Siberia.
Fruiting bodies are formed from July to October. It prefers to grow in moist soils, near forest roads. Grows in coniferous, mixed forests and grassy fields. Forms mycorrhiza with conifers (different types of pine).Often they grow together with legs at the base, forming a tight bundle.
Doubles and their differences
Among the mushrooms similar in appearance to the finger phone, it is worth noting the following types:
- Thelephora anthocephala - is also an inedible member of the family, and is distinguished by branches tapering upward, as well as the absence of a specific unpleasant odor;
- Thelephora penicillata - belongs to the inedible species, the distinguishing feature is smaller spores and variable color;
- many types of ramaria are considered conditionally edible or inedible mushrooms, differ in color, more rounded branches of the fruiting body and lack of smell.
Conclusion
The finger phone is an interesting sight. Unlike many other mushrooms, it can have the most diverse forms of fruit bodies. Similar to corals, but emitting an unpleasant pungent smell, these mushrooms simply cannot be confused with others.
