Coral Mushroom

This appears to be a dried-up coral mushroom, of the Ramaria species. Corals live up to their name, very much resembling something you would find growing on a reef. Most corals are edible that grow in Missouri and are commonly eaten. 

Specimen found on the Blue Trail at the Long Ridge Conservation Area, Sullivan, Missouri. This image is part of the article Trailheads: Portals to the Fungal Dimension.