Species flashcards

Description

Fruiting body: 1–3 cm across, developing underground, almost globular and sometimes slightly depressed. The surface is covered at first by greenish, later brownish-black mycelium; the rind is hard, dark and finely granular or spotted in appearance.

Fertile layer: Located inside the fruiting body. The gleba is paler at first and becomes a dark, blackish spore mass at maturity.

Stem: No stem is present.

Flesh: Hard, dry and brittle, compact beneath the rind. Greenish mycelial patches on the surface are important identification features.

Spores: The spore mass is blackish-brown. Spores are globose, 28–36 µm in diameter and rarely up to 42 µm, rough to finely granular and reticulate in ornamentation.

Occurrence: Occurs from May to November underground, chiefly in deciduous woodland. A mycorrhizal species especially near oak, beech and sweet chestnut; very rare in Hungary.

Edibility: Not edible. It is protected and its fruiting bodies must not be collected or damaged.

Lookalikes: It may resemble common deer truffle, patinated deer truffle, umbilicate deer truffle and Persoon deer truffle. Greenish mycelial patches and large spores help distinguish it.

Note: Elaphomyces combines Greek words meaning deer and mushroom. Maculatus derives from Latin macula, meaning spot, referring to the spotted, granular surface.

Species description: Scientifically described by Carlo Vittadini in 1831.

Taxonomy

1. PhylumAscomycota
2. ClassEurotiomycetes
3. OrderEurotiales
4. FamilyElaphomycetaceae
5. GenusElaphomyces

• Species: Elaphomyces maculatus
• Authority: Vittadini (1831)
• English name: Spotted deer truffle
• Ecological status: mycorrhizal
• Edibility: not edible