Ramaria gracilis

Ramaria gracilis fruit bodies (basidiocarps), which are made up of a dense cluster of branches, measure up to 8 centimetres (3.1 in) in height and 4 centimetres (1.6 in) in width. The individual branches, which have fairly thin bases, are typically forked and sometimes entangled with one another. In colour, the basidiocarps vary from a pale brown to white to pink-beige. The smell of anise can be used to distinguish the species from the otherwise similar Ramariopsis kunzei and Clavulina cristata.^[5]

Ramaria gracilis produces spores which measure from 5 to 7 by 3 to 4.5 micrometres (μm). The spores are elliptic with small warts which can be thin enough to look like spines. They vary in colour from yellow to brown.^[6] The cylindrical to club-shaped basidia measure from 25 to 45 by 5 to 7 μm. The hyphae are from 2 to 10 μm thick.^[5]

Ramaria gracilis is found in European coniferous woodland,^[5] where it grows on leaf litter.^[4] It has an uneven distribution, and is very rare. Basidiocarps are most often encountered between August and December.^[5] R. gracilis has been reported in Australia, but a 2014 study suggests that such reports were likely misidentifications of R. filicicola.^[7]