Clavaire variable
Ramaria fennica
Ramaria fennica, commonly known as the bitter coral, is a coral mushroom in the family Gomphaceae. It is found in Australia, Europe and North America.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramaria_fennica
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Fungi
Phylum
Basidiomycota
Class
Agaricomycetes
Order
Gomphales
Family
Gomphaceae
Genus
Ramaria
Clavaire variable belongs to the family Gomphaceae, order Gomphales, within the Agaricomycetes class.
Species Profile
Ramaria fennica, commonly known as the bitter coral, is a coral mushroom in the family Gomphaceae. It is found in Australia, Europe and North America.
Ramaria fennica is declining primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of old-growth coniferous forests where it forms mycorrhizal associations. The species is particularly vulnerable to forestry practices that remove mature trees and alter forest structure, as well as environmental changes that affect its fungal ecology.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Fruit bodies grow on the ground singly, scattered, or in groups, often with tanoak (in North America). A generally uncommon species, it sometimes fruits prolifically. It is also known from Europe and Australia.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Endangered
Ramaria fennica is declining primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of old-growth coniferous forests where it forms mycorrhizal associations. The species is particularly vulnerable to forestry practices that remove mature trees and alter forest structure, as well as environmental changes that affect its fungal ecology.
Intensive forestry practices
Old-growth forest loss
Climate change impacts on forest ecosystems
Habitat fragmentation
Soil disturbance and compaction
Community Sightings
Report a sightingNo community sightings yet. Be the first to report!
Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Clavaire variable (Ramaria fennica). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/clavaire-variable