# Orange Earthtongue (*microglossum rufum*)

The Orange Earthtongue is a fascinating fungus that looks like a little orange tongue sticking out of the ground! Kids love to spot it in forests because of its bright color and unique shape.

- **Category:** [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fungi)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Forests, grassy areas, and woodlands.
- **Also known as:** Orange Tongue, Reddish Earthtongue, Tongue Fungus

![Orange Earthtongue](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Microglossum_rufum.jpg&width=800)

Photo: This image was created by user Nathan Wilson at Mushroom Observer , a source for mycological images. You can contact this user here ., CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Microglossum_rufum.jpg)

## Appearance

The Orange Earthtongue has a slender, tongue- or club-shaped fruiting body, vividly colored from bright orange to reddish-orange. Its surface is smooth or finely velvety, tapering to a paler, sometimes fuzzy base. It lacks gills and has no distinct cap.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Fungi
- **Phylum:** Ascomycota
- **Class:** Leotiomycetes
- **Order:** Leotiales
- **Family:** Leotiaceae
- **Genus:** Microglossum

## Interesting facts

- It's sometimes called a 'jelly baby' fungus for its soft, slightly gelatinous texture!
- Its vibrant orange color intensifies after rain, making it easier to spot.
- Scientists once thought it was super rare, but now find it more often than before!
- This fungus often grows in small groups, looking like tiny orange flames on the ground.

## Special abilities

- **Nutrient Recycler:** Orange Earthtongue can break down dead plant matter because of special enzymes that help them return nutrients to the soil.
- **Spore Sprinkler:** Orange Earthtongue has millions of tiny spores that help them spread far and wide on air currents, colonizing new areas.
- **Color Beacon:** Orange Earthtongue can visually signal its presence because its bright color stands out against drab forest floors.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 2-7 cm
- **Edible:** inedible
- **Growth Substrate:** soil
- **Season:** Late summer to late fall
- **Spore Color:** White

## Ecological connections

- **Eats:** [White Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-oak) (*Quercus alba*) — breaks down decaying leaves for nutrients.
- **Eats:** [American Beech](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-beech) (*Fagus grandifolia*) — thrives on its fallen leaf litter.
- **Eats:** [Red Maple](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-maple) (*Acer rubrum*) — decomposes its dead leaves on the forest floor.

## Traits

- [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

## Collections

- [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fungi)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Do not touch or eat fungi you find in the wild, as some can be harmful.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Orange Earthtongue?

Compare the cap shape, the underside, the stem and base, and whether the fungus grows on wood or soil. Some fungi have gills, others pores or teeth. A cap seen only from above often hides the most useful features. Mushroom Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Orange Earthtongue?

2-7 cm

### Is Orange Earthtongue edible?

inedible

### Where is Orange Earthtongue usually found?

Forests, grassy areas, and woodlands.

### What does Orange Earthtongue grow on?

soil

### When is Orange Earthtongue in season?

Late summer to late fall

### What color are Orange Earthtongue spores?

White

## Where to spot

- [Stony Creek Metropark](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/stony-creek-metropark) — Michigan, US · Park

## More Fungi

- [Field Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/field-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Button Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/button-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Portobello Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/portobello-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Shiitake](https://www.snappit.app/explore/shiitake) (*Lentinula*)

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Source: [Orange Earthtongue: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/orange-earthtongue)