Spotted spotter

Scientific synonyms : Scleroderma lycoperdoides Schwein is sometimes mentioned as a synonym . 1822. ^[1]

The binominal name is Scleroderma areolatum Ehrenb. given in 1818 by H.G. Ehrenberg . ^[2]

Russian names: panther lozhadozhdovik, leopard scleroderma

The generic name of the fungus Scleroderma comes from the Greek words σκληρός ( scleros ), hard, hard, and δέρμα ( derma ), skin; species epithet areolatum - from the Latin areolatus , divided into sections, areoles.

The fruit body is small, 1–5 cm in diameter, spherical or inverted-pear-shaped, without a leg or with an unexpressed false leg, up to 1.5 cm long, ending with a branched root-like outgrowth of mycelial cords.

Peridium - 1 mm or less thick, dense, in young mushrooms - smooth, whitish or cream, reddening under pressure, in mature mushrooms - yellowish-brown, covered with small smooth brownish scales surrounded by rollers (areoles), which gives it the appearance of "skin leopard "; the scales disappear with time and the surface of the peridium takes on a net-like appearance. When ripe, the spore cracks from above, forming the wrong hole.

Gleb is whitish at first, fleshy, but soon becomes dark purple or olive-brown with white veins, then acquires a powdery structure. The smell is sweet or expressionless.

Spores 9-14 microns in diameter, dark brown, almost spherical, with frequent spikes up to 1.5-2 microns in length, but without mesh ornament. Spore powder is violet gray or dark gray.

Color chemical reactions : In KOH, the surface is dark red or yellowish brown.

It grows on soil in humid coniferous and deciduous forests, on forest edges, forming mycorrhiza with trees; possibly also saprophyte , as it is found in open light places, in gardens, in rare grass, etc. It occurs in groups, rarely singly, at the end of summer - in the fall. Widely distributed in the northern temperate zone (Europe, North America); possibly found in the southern temperate zone.

One of the softest lozhdozhdevikov, why it can be confused with edible real raincoats . It differs from the latter in dense sulfur or olive-brown gleba; in mature mushrooms it remains dense for a long time.

It differs from the related species of ice holders with a thin scaly shell and a blackish hleb, which is distinguished by the small size of the fruit body. However, the most reliable distinguishing feature is the size and shape of the spores of the fungus - the presence of frequent spines and the absence of mesh ornament.

Inedible. In large quantities can cause gastrointestinal upset .

• Donald M. Huffman, Lois H. Tiffany, George Knaphaus, Rosanne A. Healy. Mushrooms and other fungi of the midcontinental United States. - University Of Iowa Press; 2nd edition. - 2008 - 370 s. (p. 251)
• J. Pamela Ellis. Fungi without Gills (Hymenomycetes and Gasteromycetes): An identification handbook. - Springer; 1 edition - 1990 - 329 s. (p. 247)

• Loggerhead spotted on the RogersMushrooms website.
• Kuo, M. (2004, December). Scleroderma areolatum. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/scleroderma_areolatum.html