Pachycudonia spathulata is a small fungus with an irregularly rounded, convoluted to somewhat spatulate, bright golden yellow to orange ‘head’, a pale orange stipe that becomes brownish from the base upwards in age, and leathery, non-gelatinous flesh. Most reports are from winter and early spring from under manzanita (Arctostaphylos spp.).

It remains a poorly known species, but was recently included in “A Field Guide to the Rare Fungi of California’s National Forests” (Siegel et al. 2019) and “FunDiS Rare 10 Challenge” (Fungal Diversity 2020).

Based on habitat and current reports, this species is probably far more common than records indicate. It is assessed as Least Concern.

Described as Cudonia spathulata based on a 1931 collection made in Big Basin State Park in Santa Cruz County, California, USA (Imai 1942), and later transferred into the genus Pachycudonia (Imai 1950). Also placed in the genus Spathularia (Mains 1956).

Genetic studies (Ge et al. 2014) suggest that Pachycudonia can be considered a synonym of Cudonia. No genetic analysis has been done on Pachycudonia spathulata, but based on micro features, there is no evidence to suggest it doesn’t belong in Cudonia.

Pachycudonia spathulata is a small fungus with an irregularly rounded, convoluted to somewhat spatulate, bright golden yellow to orange ‘head’, a pale orange stipe that becomes brownish from the base upwards in age, and leathery, non-gelatinous flesh. Most reports are from winter and early spring from under manzanita (Arctostaphylos spp.).

It remains a poorly known species, but was recently included in “A Field Guide to the Rare Fungi of California’s National Forests” (Siegel et al. 2019) and “FunDiS Rare 10 Challenge” (Fungal Diversity 2020).

Southern Oregon through the Sierra Nevada foothills, and eastern slopes of the coast range and around the northern portion of the Central Valley of California, south to Santa Cruz, County, California with two reports from northern British Columbia and two reports from northern Alaska. These northern reports may represent a different species as the habitat is very different from that noted in the more southern, and more abundant, reports. It is probably under reported and more widespread in California and Oregon than currently known.

Pachycudonia spathulata remain poorly documented, however as this species has become better known, more locations have been reported. The scarcity of reports probably has at least in part to do with the fact that this species has not appeared in popular field guides.

Based on the habitat it is now known to occur in, this species is probably a lot more common than reported, and stable.

Scattered to gregarious in duff under manzanita (Arctostaphylos spp.) and Pacific Madrone (Arbutus menziesii) in the Coast Ranges and Sierra Nevada Foothills. Its nutritional mode is not known. Fruiting in winter and early spring.

No specific threats have been identified with regards to this species.

No specific conservation actions has been identified with regards to this species at this time.

Surveys for this species in suitable habitat. Population and trends.

None known.

Fungal Diversity. 2020. Rare 10 Challenge. https://fundis.org/protect/take-action

Ge, Z.W., Yang, Z.L., Pfister, D.H., Carbone, M., Bau, T. et al. 2014. Multigene Molecular Phylogeny and Biogeographic Diversification of the Earth Tongue Fungi in the Genera Cudonia and Spathularia (Rhytismatales, Ascomycota). PLOS ONE 9(8): e103457. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0103457

Imai, S. 1942. Contributiones ad studia monographica Geoglossacearum. Botanical Magazine Tokyo 56:523–527.

Imai, S. 1950. On the genus of Cudonia constrictospora S. Ito et Imai. Botanical Magazine Tokyo 63(749): 234–235.

Siegel, N., Vellinga, E.C., Schwarz, C., Castellano, M.A. and Ikeda, D. 2019. A Field Guide to the Rare Fungi of California’s National Forests. Bookmobile: Minneapolis, MN. 313 p.