Calocera cornea, the small stagshorn, is a tiny jelly fungus of the order Dacrymycetales. It forms swarms of yellow, finger-like, usually unbranched horns on rotting broadleaf wood. Microscopically it has the tuning-fork basidia typical of its family. It is much smaller than C. viscosa, which is branched and grows on conifers.
Not known to cause poisoning, but regarded as inedible because of its tiny size, gelatinous texture and lack of flavour.
Never eat a wild mushroom based on a web page — confirm with an expert.
Mycology is an evolving science: names, classifications and safety information change as research advances. Entries are compiled from cited sources and reviewed, but may be incomplete or out of date — check the sources, and never rely on this library alone to identify or eat a mushroom.
Help build this page
This page grows with the community. Here is what it is still missing:
Photos. None yet — moderators review each photo before it appears.Sign in to add a photo
Sightings. Spotted it in the wild? Add it to the map.Open the map
Strains. No public strains of this species on WeMush yet.
Track Your Own Small Stagshorn Grows
Join WeMush to log cultivation data, discover strains, and connect with fellow growers.
On rotting trunks, stumps and fallen branches of broadleaf trees; very occasionally on conifers; in damp woodland.
Distribution
Fairly common and widespread in Britain and Ireland and most of mainland Europe; also recorded from North America and other regions.
Characteristics
Fruitbody: 2-12 mm tall (up to about 2 cm), 1-3 mm thick; finger-like, curved, blunt or pointed; usually unbranched, very rarely forked at the tip. Colour: yellow, more orange when dry. Texture: gelatinous-rubbery, greasy and viscid. Hymenium: covers the sides of the fruitbody. Spore print: White or very pale yellow. Spores: ellipsoidal to sausage-shaped, smooth, hyaline, inamyloid, 7-10 x 2.5-4 um; often 1-septate when mature. Basidia: tuning-fork-shaped, 2-spored. Odour/taste: not distinctive.
