There is another purple coral fungus that is very hard to distinguish from this one, called Clavulina amethystina, and although I am pretty sure the one pictured is Violet Coral Fungus, when I came across this for the first time on, I was literally so amazed and excited as if I had found an actual amethyst. The color is AMAZING!
Alternate Name: Magenta Coral Size: Up to 10cm tall and 7cm wide Family: Clavariaceae Habitat: On the ground in woodland litter, or in grasslands. Identification: "The coloring of the fruit bodies is quite variable, ranging from violet to amethyst, or violet shaded with brown or red. The colors may be variable over the fruit body; in one instance the outside branches were brown while the inner branches in the center of the bundle were light violet. Dried specimens may lose their coloring almost entirely, as the pigments may be sensitive to light or dryness. The stem, or base, is short, and the branching starts a short distance above the ground." From wikipedia.com
