Spathularia

Spathularia flavida, like other members of the family Cudoniaceae, is distinguished by having long, needle-like spores. A common name for Spathularia flavida is yellow Earth tongue. The spores are tightly packed side by side in the asci. The fruit body of S. flavida is a light yellowish-brown color and rarely of a brown color. The stipe grows to about eight centimeters in length and one centimeter in girth, and the flattened head grows on the sides of the stipe. It has a fairly smooth head and stipe, and has no odor.^[3] Several specimens were recovered in two expeditions to Sichuan Province, China, in 1997 and 1998.^[4] The habitat ranges across continents, mainly the coniferous forests of the United States and Europe. It can be found near the bases of coniferous trees in ring shaped clusters; however, sightings are rare and infrequent.^[5]

Spathularia neesii is similar to S. flavida' it is roughly the same size and shape, up to 8 centimeters in length and 1 centimeter in stipe width. Their colors are also similar–both are of a pale yellow but S. neesii tends to have a pale brown, tan, color, unlike the yellow of S. flavida. When dried both specimens look identical and is almost impossible to tell a difference with the naked eye. The distinguishing feature of S. neesii is the spores that measure 60 to 80 mic. long, around 20 mic. longer than that of S. flavida.^[6]