Gomphus clavatus, the violet chanterelle, is an edible species of fungus native to Eurasia and North America. The fruit body is vase- or fan-shaped with wavy edges on its rim, and grows up to 15 cm (6 in) wide and 17 cm (6+3⁄4 in) tall. The upper surface or cap is orangish-brown to lilac, while the lower spore-bearing surface, the hymenium, is covered in wrinkles and ridges rather than gills or pores, and is a distinctive purple color. Described by Jacob Christian Schäffer in 1774, it is found in coniferous forests and is associated particularly with spruces and firs. It is more common at elevations of greater than 2,000 ft (600 m), in moist, shady areas with plenty of leaf litter. Although widespread, G. clavatus has become rare in many parts of Europe and extinct in the British Isles. It is on the national Red Lists of threatened fungi in 17 European countries and is one of 33 species proposed for international conservation under the Bern Convention. (Full article...)