Craterellus fallax

Craterellus fallax is a species of "black trumpets" that occurs in Eastern North America. With a number of lookalikes in the genus, it is edible but not substantial.

Craterellus fallax
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Fungi
Division:	Basidiomycota
Class:	Agaricomycetes
Order:	Cantharellales
Family:	Cantharellaceae
Genus:	Craterellus
Species:	C. fallax
Binomial name
Craterellus fallax A.H. Sm.

Craterellus fallax Mycological characteristics
	Ridges on hymenium
	Cap is infundibuliform
	Hymenium is decurrent
	Stipe is bare
	Spore print is yellow-orange
	Ecology is mycorrhizal
	Edibility is choice

Description

Craterellus fallax is grayish to blackish, skinny and 3–12 centimetres (1–4+1⁄2 in) tall. The inside is smooth and black when young, turning rough and gray with age. The flesh is brittle and grayish to blackish.^[1]

The spore print is a pinkish yellow-orange.^[1]

Similar species

In western North America, C. fallax is replaced by C. calicornucopioides.^[1]

Craterellus fallax may be synonymous with the European species C. cornucopioides, which produces a white spore print.^{[2]: 391 [3]}

A number of other species in the genus are similar.^[1]

Distribution and habitat

The species occurs in Eastern North America.^[1]

Ecology

C. fallax is mycorrhizal, forming associations with Tsuga and Quercus species, among others.^[4]

Uses

It is a choice edible fungus,^[5] although is not substantial.^[6]