Dacryopinax spathularia sightings

Dacryopinax spathularia

The fruit body consists of a stem that broadens markedly at the apex to give the impression of a small spatula (hence the species epithet spathularia, derived from spatha the Latin word for spatula). Sometimes the upper region may be lobed to some extent. The fruit body has a rubbery consistency, is yellow to orange and up to 2 centimetres tall with the spathulate apex up to a centimetre wide.

The fruit bodies appear on wood, often in rows, in a variety of habitats, but especially wetter forests. Usually numerous fruit bodies appear simultaneously.

Look-alikes

Some species of Calocera are of similar height and texture, yellow to orange and appear on wood. However, in general Calocera fruit bodies are simple stalks, or stalks that fork or branch to some degree, but usually narrowing at the apices. Sometimes the fruit bodies may broaden a little at their apices and it may be possible to mistake one genus for the other, especially if the specimen in question is immature. Since the fruit bodies of both genera usually appear in large groups, it may pay to look at the variation within the group, which is likely to include both immature and mature specimens, before making a decision.