Scleroderma citrinum

Morphological Features:

Fruiting body of variable size, developed specimens can be found measuring 3 cm in diameter alongside others over 10 cm, generally spherical or globose in shape but somewhat imperfect, as it sometimes flattens at the apex. External surface is matte citrine yellow to yellowish-ochre.

Peridium quite thick, up to 3 mm wide, pale in color, externally covered by prominent yellowish scales that tend to turn ochre with age and desiccation, hard and somewhat elastic in consistency. It opens at the apex to release the spores produced within the gleba.

Stipe Practically absent, attached to the substrate by a series of mycelial threads that sometimes resemble a pseudostipe.

Gleba initially whitish or pinkish, soon turning gray and then blackish with spore maturation. It is hard in consistency when young, later becoming powdery. Its odor is pungent and unpleasant.

Habitat:

An epigeous species, meaning it develops its fruiting bodies above ground. It is very common and abundant on sandy soils, without any particular preference for a specific tree type.

Observations:

An inedible species, even slightly toxic. It is characterized by its entirely scaly yellowish fruiting body, thick peridium, and reticulate but non-warty spores, which distinguishes it from other congeners. The most similar species is Scleroderma cepa, which is less scaly and less yellowish; Scleroderma verrucosum also shares some resemblance, featuring a well-defined stipe-like structure, as does Scleroderma areolatum, which has a very thin peridium. All of these possess warty spores.