Violet Crust Punctularia atropurpurascens
This eye-catching, purple, fuzzy fungus, sometimes weeping red guttations, thrives on dead deciduous tree wood throughout the mushroom season.
Appearance
- Purple and fuzzy, sometimes with weeping red guttations
- Grows amoeba-like
At Edgewood
- See iNaturalist for observations in Edgewood
About
- Basidiomycetes – a major lineage of fungi that usually produce spores within basidia (club-like structures)
- Found throughout our mushroom season
- Saprotrophic – grows primarily on dead deciduous tree wood
- Edibility (San Mateo County Parks prohibits removal of any natural material)
- Unknown
- Unless you are an expert, do not pick and consume wild mushrooms
Learn More
Roehl, T. 2017, Jul. 14. #013: Characteristics of division Basidiomycota. Fungus Fact List. Fungus Fact Friday.
Roehl, T. 2017, Jul. 7. #039: Mushroom morphology: Crust fungi. Fungus Fact List. Fungus Fact Friday.
References
Knijn, A. 2019. Biological characteristics of Punctularia atropurpurascens through morphological and molecular analyses during development. Italian Journal of Mycology 48: 39-49.