Truffle Genus: Hydnotrya
 Hydnotrya variiformis ascospore scale = 10 µm |
Kingdom: Fungi Phylum: Ascomycota Order: Pezizales Family: Discinaceae |
Spore Characters
Surface: Smooth in youth, soon developing spines or a warty to ridged epispore.
Shape and Size: Ellipsoid to globose, 16-34 x 16-35 µm excluding ornamentation.
Wall: Single, 1-3 µm thick.
Color in Water: Hyaline in youth, becoming yellow-brown to brown at maturity.
Melzer's Reaction: Not distinctive.
Comments: The spores of most Hydnotrya spp. are distinctive enough to permit species identifications on the basis of spores alone, although those with globose, spiny spores are difficult to distinguish from certain Elaphomyces or Genabea spp. For overlap with species of Hydnotryopsis, see comments under that genus.
View photos of Hydnotrya spores
Sporocarp Characters
Shape and Size: Irregular and infolded to nearly solid, 0.5-8 cm in diameter.
Peridium: Ivory to pink to dark purple-brown. Smooth or minutely scruffy.
Gleba: Hollow to fleshy firm, concolorous with the peridium and permeated with small to large labyrinthine chambers formed by complex infolding and fusing of the sporocarp walls.
Odor: Not distinctive to strongly garlicky.
View photos of Hydnotrya sporocarps