''Auriscalpium barbatum'' is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

of spine fungus in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Auriscalpiaceae The Auriscalpiaceae are a family of fungi in the order Russulales. Like much of the Russulales, it has been defined through molecular phylogeny Molecular phylogenetics () is the branch of phylogeny that analyzes genetic, hereditary molecular di ...

of the

Russulales The Russulales are an order (biology), order of the Agaricomycetes, (which include the agaric genera ''Russula'' and ''Lactarius (fungus), Lactarius'' and their polypore, polyporoid and corticioid relatives). According to the ''Dictionary of the ...

order. Found in

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

in 1977 embedded on fragments of humus in sandy soil, it was described as new to science by the Dutch mycologist

Rudolph Arnold Maas Geesteranus Rudolf Arnold Maas Geesteranus (20 January 1911 in The Hague – May 18, 2003 in Oegstgeest), was a Dutch mycologist Mycology is the branch of biology concerned with the study of fungi, including their genetic and biochemical properties, their ...

in 1978.

Taxonomy

described the fungus in 1978, from a collection made in August of the previous year in

Fitzgerald River National Park Fitzgerald River National Park is a national park in the Shires of Ravensthorpe and the Jerramungup in Western Australia, southeast of Perth. The park is recognised on Australia's National Heritage List for its outstanding diversity of nativ ...

, Western Australia. Based on the structure of the hyphae in their spines, Maas Geesteranus considered this species to be most closely related to the widespread ''

Auriscalpium vulgare ''Auriscalpium vulgare'', commonly known as the pinecone mushroom, the cone tooth, or the ear-pick fungus, is a species of fungus in the family Auriscalpiaceae of the order Russulales. It was first described in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus, who incl ...

''. The specific epithet ''barbatum'' derives from ''barbatum'', meaning "spiny".

Description

The fruit body has a circular

cap A cap is a flat headgear, usually with a visor. Caps have crowns that fit very close to the head. They made their first appearance as early as 3200 BC. Caps typically have a visor, or no brim at all. They are popular in casual and informal se ...

about in diameter. The cap surface is smooth overall, dark brown with tinges of red, and has fine, radially arranged wrinkles. The stipe, which measures long by 3–5 mm thick, is slightly curved below and becomes slightly wider near the top. The crowded spines on the cap underside are up to 7 mm long. The

spores In biology, a spore is a unit of sexual or asexual reproduction that may be adapted for dispersal and for survival, often for extended periods of time, in unfavourable conditions. Spores form part of the life cycles of many plants, algae, ...

are pip-shaped and covered with tiny spines,

amyloid Amyloids are aggregates of proteins characterised by a fibrillar morphology of 7–13 nm in diameter, a beta sheet (β-sheet) secondary structure (known as cross-β) and ability to be stained by particular dyes, such as Congo red. In the huma ...

, colourless, and measure 5.8–6.3 by 3.8–4.7 µm. The

basidia A basidium () is a microscopic sporangium (a spore-producing structure) found on the hymenophore of fruiting bodies of basidiomycete fungi which are also called tertiary mycelium, developed from secondary mycelium. Tertiary mycelium is highly- ...

(spore-producing cells) are club shaped with clamps at their bases, four-spored with

sterigmata In biology, a sterigma (pl. sterigmata) is a small supporting structure. It commonly refers to an extension of the basidium (the spore-bearing cells) consisting of a basal filamentous part and a slender projection which carries a spore at the ti ...

up to 4.5 µm long, and have dimensions of 22–25 by 5.5–7 µm. The cap tissue consists of generative hyphae, thick-walled skeletal hyphae, and some oleiferous (

lipid Lipids are a broad group of naturally-occurring molecules which includes fats, waxes, sterols, fat-soluble vitamins (such as vitamins A, D, E and K), monoglycerides, diglycerides, phospholipids, and others. The functions of lipids includ ...

-containing) hyphae.

Habitat and distribution

The fungus is only known from the type collection, a single specimen that was found growing on pieces of humus in sandy soil in an open area. '' Eucalyptus tetragona'' trees were growing nearby.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q4822401 Fungi described in 1978 Fungi of Australia Russulales Taxa named by Rudolf Arnold Maas Geesteranus