''Sarcodon leucopus'' is a species of

tooth fungus The hydnoid fungi are a group of fungi in the Basidiomycota with basidiocarps (fruit bodies) producing spores on pendant, tooth-like or spine-like projections. They are colloquially called tooth fungi. Originally such fungi were referred to the g ...

in the family

Bankeraceae The ''Bankeraceae'' are a family of fungi in the order Thelephorales. Taxa are terrestrial, and ectomycorrhizal with plant species in families such as Pinaceae or Fagaceae. The family was circumscribed by Marinus Anton Donk in 1961. According ...

. Found in Asia and Europe, it was described as new to science in 1825 by

Christian Hendrik Persoon Christiaan Hendrik Persoon (1 February 1761 – 16 November 1836) was a German mycologist who made additions to Linnaeus' mushroom taxonomy. Early life Persoon was born in South Africa at the Cape of Good Hope, the third child of an imm ...

. Mycologists

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 fungus, fungi, including their genetics, genetic and biochemistry ...

and

John Axel Nannfeldt John-Axel Nannfeldt (baptized ''Johan Axel Frithiof Nannfeldt''), born 18 January 1904 in Trelleborg and deceased 4 November 1985 in Uppsala, was a Swedish botanist and mycologist. Nannfeldt studied natural history at the University of Uppsal ...

transferred it to the genus ''

Sarcodon ''Sarcodon'' is a genus of fungi in the family Bankeraceae, which is part of the order Thelephorales The Thelephorales are an order of fungi in the class Agaricomycetes. The order includes corticioid and hydnoid fungi, together with a few ...

'' in 1969.

Fruit bodies The sporocarp (also known as fruiting body, fruit body or fruitbody) of fungi is a multicellular structure on which spore-producing structures, such as basidia or asci, are borne. The fruitbody is part of the sexual phase of a fungal life cyc ...

of the fungus have flattened to slightly depressed

caps Caps are flat headgear. Caps or CAPS may also refer to: Science and technology Computing * CESG Assisted Products Service, provided by the U.K. Government Communications Headquarters * Composite Application Platform Suite, by Java Caps, a Java ...

up to in diameter. The surface texture, initially finely felt-like, later cracks to form shiny scales. Its color is pale purplish-brown to dark brown. The stipe measures long by thick. Spines on the cap underside are up to 15 mm long and about 1 mm thick. The

flesh Flesh is any aggregation of soft tissues of an organism. Various multicellular organisms have soft tissues that may be called "flesh". In mammals, including humans, ''flesh'' encompasses muscle Skeletal muscles (commonly referred to as mu ...

has a disagreeable odor, and a bitter taste.

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, f ...

are roughly spherical, typically measuring 7.2–7.9 by 4.5–5.6

µm The micrometre ( international spelling as used by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures; SI symbol: μm) or micrometer (American spelling), also commonly known as a micron, is a unit of length in the International System of Unit ...

. The fungus is considered

endangered An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inva ...

in Switzerland. Fruit bodies of ''Sarcodon leucopus'' contain novel compounds called sarcoviolins that have been shown to have

antioxidative Antioxidants are Chemical compound, compounds that inhibit Redox, oxidation, a chemical reaction that can produce Radical (chemistry), free radicals. This can lead to polymerization and other chain reactions. They are frequently added to indust ...

and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity.

References

External links

* Fungi described in 1825 Fungi of Asia Fungi of Europe leucopus Taxa named by Christiaan Hendrik Persoon {{Agaricomycetes-stub