Cordyceps longisegmentis

Cordyceps longisegmentis Ginns (illustrated life size) Fruit body 3–10cm high, fertile head oval to subglobose, chestnut-brown to blackish, on a tough, yellow-olivaceous stem up to 1cm thick. Spores breaking up into 40–60×4–5¼ part-spores. Asci very long, 15¼ wide. Habitat mainly in pine woods, as a parasite on species of Elaphomyces (opposite) just below the surface, here on E. granulatus; autumn. Rare, possibly under-recorded; first described in 1988. Not edible. Note this fungus was previously referred to as C. capitata (Holmsk.) Link. or C. canadensis Ellis & Everh., but is distinguished by having smaller part-spores, mostly 15–25×2.5–3¼.