SPECIES FACT SHEET
Scientific Name: Ramaria rubella var. blanda Petersen
Original Taxonomy (Domanski, 1984):
Phylum: Basidiomycota
Order: Aphyllophorales
Family: Ramariaceae
Subgenus: Lentoramaria
Most current taxonomy: Fungi, Basidiomycota, Agaricomycotina,
Agaricomycetes, Phallomycetidae, Gomphales, Gomphaceae, Ramaria, Ramaria
rubella. (Index Fungorum 2007)
Conservation Status:
Global: G3G4
State: OR S1? WA not ranked
Oregon Biodiversity Information Center (ORBIC) List: 2
(Ranks from ORBIC, http://orbic.pdx.edu accessed August 16, 2013)
Type: A.H. Smith 95057 (MICH) 1937, on Picea, Crescent City, Del Norte Co.
CA
Technical Description: Sporocarps up to 8 x 5.5 cm, fusiform to
subspherical, lignicolous. Odor indistinct. Taste acrid. Stem very short,
almost branched from base, up to 1 cm thick, with copius basal mycelium,
white at base, upward concolorous with branches. Branches up to 4 mm thick,
more or less strict to open and spreading, often flattened, especially at axils,
and then branching somewhat antler-like, pink-tan, pale pink cinnamon, pale
vinaceous cinnamon, to avellaneous, internodes diminishing gradually, axils
narrowly to broadly rounded, usually sterile. Flesh white, tough. Hymenium
usually unilateral, smooth, sterile surface rugulose, apparently somewhat paler
than hymenium, apices delicate and erect to open and rounded, white to pale
cream color, FSW deep olive-grey. Basidia 45- 50 x 7.4-8.9 µm, clavate, 4spored. Sterigmata straight, divergent, peripheral. Clamp connections
present. Spores broadly ovoid to broadly ellipsoid, 6.3-8.1 x 4.4-5.9 µm,
ornamentation of scattered prominent warts or short meandering ridges, redtan spore print, thin-walled, apiculus prominent, eccentric, over 1 µm long,
often with hump at upper base, tapering distally.
1
Distinguishing Features: Characterized by its pinkish branches, lignicolous
habit, rhizomorph strands that are unchanging or yellowish in KOH, slightly
smaller spores than variety rubella, and a distinctily unilateral hymenium.
Ramaria rubella var. blanda is similar to R. polonica, but R. polonica usually
has cystidioid elements in the hymenium.
Life History
This taxon is a coral fungus that is lignicolous on coniferous (Picea) and
deciduous (Alnus) wood in conifer forests. It is presumed ectomycorrhizal with
Pinaceae. It is dependant on wind for dispersal of spores, but animal, especially
arthropod, dispersal is also possible. It fruits in October.
Range, Distribution, and Abundance: Known from the Pacific Northwest and
Tennessee. Within Oregon and Washington, known from approximately two
sites within the range of the northern spotted owl: Washington, Grays Harbor
County, Olympic National Forest. Oregon, Douglas, Lane, Tillamook, and
Yamhill Counties.
FS/BLM lands in Oregon and Washington: Siuslaw NF and Roseburg BLM.
Habitat Associations: Lignicolous (wood decay) on Picea and Alnus wood.
Associated with western hemlock rainforest. Elevation range: 442- 1813 ft.
Ramaria rubella var. blanda fruits in October (autumn).
Threats: Threats to lignicolous fungi are similar to threats to ectomycorrhizal
fungi and include disturbances that damage mycelium and host, such as
severe fire, removal of host plants and consequential loss of canopy cover, loss
of woody debris.
Conservation Considerations: Revisit known sites and localities to confirm
persistence and extent of populations. Buffer known sites from management
activities. When conducting vegetation management activities in area with good
habitat potential, consider leaving scattered and clumped host trees and ample
woody debris, while minimizing soil compaction and severity of prescribed fires;
avoid broadcast burning and pile burning in prime habitat. Niches for various
taxa are defined by host, substrate, size, and degree of decay. Hence, diversity
of these fungi can be enhanced by a mixture of woody angiosperm and
gymnosperm debris of different decay and size classes.
Other pertinent information (includes references to Survey Protocols,
etc): The survey protocol for fungi is located on the ISSSSP website:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/sfpnw/issssp/documents/inventories/inv-sp-fuver1-2008-12.pdf.
2
The survey protocol for Survey and Manage fungi is located on the Survey and
Manage website: http://www.blm.gov/or/plans/surveyandmanage/protocols/
Prepared by: Jenifer Ferriel, Malheur, Umatilla, and Wallowa Whitman
National Forests
Date: April 2013
Edited by: Rob Huff, BLM/FS Portland, Oregon
Date: February 2014
ATTACHMENTS:
(1)
References
(2)
Map of Species Distribution
(3)
Photograph of Species
ATTACHMENT 1:
References
Aurora, David. 1986. Mushrooms Demystified. Ten Speed Press. Berkeley, CA.
Castellano, Michael A.; Smith, Jane E.; O’Dell, Thom; Cázares, Efrén; Nugent,
Susan. 1999. Handbook to strategy 1 fungal taxa from the Northwest Forest
Plan. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-476. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 195 p.
Castellano, Micahel A. and Thomas O’Dell. Management Recommendations for
Survey and Manage Fungi, V. 2.0. 1997.
Edmonds, Bob. Climate change influence on Climate Change Influence on
Wood Decay. 2008. IN: Proceedings of the 56th Annual Western International
Forest Disease Work Conference October 27-31, 2008 Missoula, Montana.
http://www.fs.fed.us/foresthealth/technology/wif/proceedings/WIFDWC2008.
pdf
Exeter, Ronald L., Norvell, Lorelei L., Cázares, Efrén. 2006. Ramaria of the
Pacific Northwestern United States. USDI BLM/OR/WA/PT-06/050-1792,
Salem, Oregon. 157 p.
Ferriel, Jenifer and Katie Grenier. 2008. Annotated Bibliography of
Information Potentially Pertaining to Management of Rare Fungi on the Special
Status Species List for California, Oregon and Washington. R6 USFS and
3
OR/WA BLM Interagency Special Status/Sensitive Species Program (ISSSSP).
http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/sfpnw/issssp/planning-tools/
Interagency Sensitive and Special Status Species List, December 1, 2011
available at: http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/sfpnw/issssp/agency-policy/
Nakasone, Karen K. 1993. Diversity of Lignicolous Basidiomycetes in Coarse
Woody Debris. IN Biodiversity and Coarse Windy Debris in Southern Forests
Proceedings of the Workshop on Coarse Woody Debris in Southern Forests:
Effects on Biodiversity Athens, GA October 18-20, 1993. eds: McMim, James
W. and D.A. Crossley, Jr., available at:
http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/pdf1996/nakas96b.pdf
Petersen, R.H. 1975. Ramaria subgenus Lentoramaria with emphasis on North
American Taxa. Biblio.Bibliotheca Mycologica. 43: 89
Robert V., G. Stegehuis and J. Stalpers. 2005. The MycoBank engine and
related databases. http://www.mycobank.org
4
ATTACHMENT 2:
Map of Species Distribution
Site from the Siuslaw NF not included in map.
5
ATTACHMENT 3:
Photograph of Species
Figure 1. Ramaria rubella var. blanda Photo courtesy of C. Marr
6