Sarcodon leucopus

Species typical of calcareous soils under Pinus sylvestris, with an applanate pileus with an undulate margin, 7 to 20 cm in diameter, pale purplish brown, with spines or aculei up to 1 cm long, unpleasant odor and bitter taste.

Cuticle formed by filamentous hyphae, interwoven, 5 to 9 µm wide, containing copious brownish pigment inside, with terminal elements 4 to 7 µm wide; all septate and clamped.

Cystidia absent, although the tips of the aculei bear sterile cylindrical terminal hyphae arranged parallel, with rounded terminations.

Basidia clavate, 45 to 60 µm long, 9 to 11 µm wide, with basal clamp connections and four-spored.

Spores subglobose to ellipsoidal, with coarse warts, pale brown under the microscope, 6 to 8.5 µm long (excluding ornamentation), 4.5 to 7 µm wide, and inamyloid in Melzer's reagent.

Herbarium material available: JTP2244/24.