Species details
Common earthtongue
Geoglossum cookeanum
Inedible
Photo: Bjorn Sothmann · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Photo source · License
Description
A black club- to tongue-shaped earthtongue of dry grassland with a finely downy to velvety surface.
Identification features
Fruitbody about 3–7 cm tall, with a flattened black tongue-shaped head and thinner black stem. The head is finely downy to velvety and may be longitudinally depressed or wrinkled.
Identification checklist
Check the black flattened tongue-shaped head, thin stem and finely downy or velvety surface.
How to separate similar species
Black earthtongues are very similar macroscopically; microscopy is often needed for reliable separation. Trichoglossum hirsutum is more distinctly hairy.
Habitat
Grows on dry meadows, grassland, fields and woodland road edges, especially on sandy soils, from late summer to early winter.
Fruiting period
August, September, October, November, December
Similar species
- Hairy earthtongue (Trichoglossum hirsutum)
- Geoglossum species
- Microglossum species