Beautiful coral
Ramaria formosa · 美丽枝瑚菌
Rarely Seen枝瑚菌科⚠️ Poisonous
Reference sources list this as a poisonous mushroom.
The same species can be described differently across regions and stages of maturity, and countless look-alike species cannot be told apart by eye. Never use the information on this page to judge whether a real mushroom is safe to eat.
How to Tell
- Coral-like branches, pink to orange-red, branch tips yellowish
- Base white and stout; the whole cluster can reach the size of a hand
- Grows on the floor of hardwood forests, common in autumn
ID notes are compiled by AI from public sources, not reviewed by a mycologist, for learning only — never a basis for foraging.
Basics
- Family
- 枝瑚菌科
- Hymenium
- Smooth
- Grows On
- Soil
- How Big
- 8–20 cm (overall size)
- Encounter Rate
- Rarely Seen
- Habitat
- Ground in broadleaf woods
Easily Confused With
Pink-tipped coralPink-tipped coral has grape-pink branch tips and a stout white base; beautiful coral is pinkish-orange overall with yellowish tips.
Violet coralViolet coral is violet throughout.Fun Fact
Its pinkish-orange branches tip into yellow — beautiful, but it causes severe gastrointestinal reactions; within its genus, edible and toxic species look almost identical.