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Clavariadelphus ligula

(Schaeff.) Donk

Strap Coral Fungus

G5Secure Found in 17 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.973547
Element CodeNFGOM01010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryFungus
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomFungi
PhylumBasidiomycota
ClassBasidiomycetes
OrderGomphales
FamilyGomphaceae
GenusClavariadelphus
Synonyms
Clavaria ligulaSchaeff.
Concept Reference
Phillips, R. 1991. Mushrooms of North America. Little, Brown and Company, Boston. 319 pp.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-02-17
Change Date2025-02-17
Edition Date2025-02-17
Edition AuthorsSoteropoulos (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Clavariadelphus ligula is a wide-range circumtemperate fungus in coniferous or mixed forests occurring in North America, Europe, and Asia. There are an estimated 2,000 occurrences which potentially face threats from development and logging. Little is known about threats or trends, but with a large range extent and large number of occurrences, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Clavariadelphus ligula is a wide-range circumtemperate species occurring in North America, Europe, and Asia (MyCoPortal 2025). Range extent was estimated to be over 65 million square kilometers using specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1994 and 2025 (RARECAT 2024, GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, MyCoPortal 2025).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are approximately 2,000 occurrences rangewide (RARECAT 2024, GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, MyCoPortal 2025).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, this species is potentially threatened by development, logging, and other threats in some places. However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Clavariadelphus ligula occurs in duff, detritus, or moss on the ground of coniferous and mixed forests (Chelin 2024, MyCoPortal 2025).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - ConiferForest - Mixed
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
UtahSNRYes
Rhode IslandSNRYes
South DakotaSNRYes
OregonS3Yes
OhioSNRYes
CaliforniaSNRYes
VirginiaSNRYes
ArizonaSNRYes
MissouriSNRYes
PennsylvaniaSNRYes
IdahoSNRYes
MississippiSNRYes
WisconsinSNRYes
IowaSNRYes
MichiganSNRYes
LouisianaSNRYes
MontanaSNRYes
New HampshireSNRYes
New MexicoSNRYes
MinnesotaSNRYes
MaineSNRYes
ColoradoSNRYes
WyomingSNRYes
FloridaSNRYes
VermontSNRYes
New YorkSNRYes
WashingtonSNRYes
New JerseySNRYes
West VirginiaSNRYes
AlaskaSNRYes
CanadaNNR
ProvinceRankNative
Yukon TerritoryS4Yes
New BrunswickSUYes
AlbertaS3Yes
SaskatchewanSUYes
ManitobaS3Yes
Island of NewfoundlandSNRYes
QuebecS4Yes
LabradorSNRYes
British ColumbiaS3Yes
Nova ScotiaSUYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial developmentUnknownUnknownUnknown
5 - Biological resource useUnknownUnknownUnknown
5.3 - Logging & wood harvestingUnknownUnknownUnknown

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Plant Characteristics
DurationEPHEMERAL FRUITING BODY
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (17)
Alaska (3)
AreaForestAcres
Boston BarChugach National Forest53,617
ResurrectionChugach National Forest224,615
Twenty MileChugach National Forest198,775
Colorado (2)
AreaForestAcres
San MiguelSan Juan NF64,263
Storm PeakSan Juan NF57,617
Idaho (2)
AreaForestAcres
Peace RockBoise National Forest191,734
SeceshPayette National Forest248,088
New Mexico (3)
AreaForestAcres
Columbine - Hondo Wilderness Study AreaCarson National Forest43,739
Guaje CanyonSanta Fe National Forest6,104
Pecos WS RiverSanta Fe National Forest5,396
Oregon (4)
AreaForestAcres
Echo MountainWillamette National Forest8,098
Maiden PeakWillamette National Forest9,627
Waldo - FujiWillamette National Forest15,273
West - South BachelorDeschutes National Forest25,994
Utah (1)
AreaForestAcres
Horse Mountain - Mans PeakManti-Lasal National Forest22,159
Washington (2)
AreaForestAcres
Dark DivideGifford Pinchot National Forest52,483
Lion RockWenatchee National Forest4,692
References (10)
  1. Chelin, J. 2024. Colorado Mushrooms. Online. Available: https://www.coloradomushrooms.com/ (Accessed 2025).
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
  3. iNaturalist. 2025. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2025).
  4. Index Fungorum and Species Fungorum. 2018. <i>In</i> Index Fungorum-Species Fungorum (<a href="https://indexfungorum.org" target="_blank">https://indexfungorum.org</a> and <a href="https://speciesfungorum.org" target="_blank">https://speciesfungorum.org</a>) database export on 16 June 2018. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  5. Index Fungorum and Species Fungorum. 2025. <i>In</i> Index Fungorum-Species Fungorum (<a href="https://indexfungorum.org" target="_blank">https://indexfungorum.org</a> and <a href="https://speciesfungorum.org" target="_blank">https://speciesfungorum.org</a>) database export on 29 September 2025. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  6. MycoBank. 2025. MycoBank database download, export date January 2025. International Mycological Association. [http://www.mycobank.org]
  7. MyCoPortal. 2025. Mycology Collections Portal. Online. Available: https://www.mycoportal.org/portal/index.php. (Accessed 2025).
  8. NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2024. Version: 1.1.1 (released Oct 01, 2024).
  9. Phillips, R. 1991. Mushrooms of North America. Little, Brown and Company, Boston. 319 pp.
  10. Species Fungorum. Species Fungorum Partnership (CABI, IT IS, Catalogue of Life). http://www.speciesfungorum.org. (accessed 2015)