Habitat and Range
Helicobasidium corticioides is the label for a collection by O. Ceska from Vancouver Island, British Columbia at the University of British Columbia (UBC F24797, Mushroom Observer 70008, spores 14-20 x 5-6 with microscopic drawings). It has been recorded also from Alberta, Colorado (holotype), Utah, and Wyoming, (Ginns(5)). It is distinguished from other species of Helicobasidium "by the corticioid aspect of the fructification, the basidia, which are usually coiled or loosely spiralled rather than crozier-shaped, and by the size of the basidia and spores". Spores are 14-22.5 x 6.5-12.5 microns, ovoid to cylindric, and adaxially flattened, and basidia arched, loosely spiralled, or forming one or two coils, mostly 2-septate to 3-septate, basal cells 80-160 x 6-11 microns. (Bandoni(14)).on dead hardwood, on the ground, or encrusting live plants; causes violet root rot of a variety of deciduous woody plants; often on seedlings; Acer, Ambrosia, Ampelopsis, Asparagus, Carya, Catalpa, Celtis, Daucus, Fraxinus, Helianthus, Iresine, Malvaviscus, Medicago, Melia, Morus, Parthenocissus, Phytolacca, Ratibida, Rhus, Rivina, Salix, Sambucus, Solanum, Trifolium, Ulmus, Verbesina, Viguiera, Viola, (Ginns), parasitic and saprophytic on trees and shrubs, fall-spring, (Breitenbach)