Hydnellum aurantiacum

Appearance

Fruitbodies are shallowly funnel-shaped , and up to 15 cm in diameter. The upper surface is orange or orange-brown in the centre, with a lighter margin. It may be velvety or tomentose when young, but will become wrinkled or lumpy in age. The flesh is tough and woody, pale to dark orange-brown in color, without any distinctive odor but a bitter or mealy taste. The teeth are short , white, but the tips gradually turn brown with age. The stipe is up to 4 cm long and 0.5–2 cm thick, orange to dark brown in color, with a velvety surface. The spore print is brown. This species is inedible, due to the toughness of the flesh.

Basidia are between 35–46 by 8–11 µm, club-shaped , without clamp connections, and four-spored. The sterigmata may be up to 6 µm long. Basidiospores are roughly spherical in shape, with rough warty outgrowths , nonamyloid, and have dimensions of 5.5–8 by 5.5–6.5 µm.

Naming

The orange Hydnellum resembles the polypore ''Phaeolus schweinitzii'' when viewed from the top of the cap surface, but it has teeth instead of pores on the hymenium. Closely related and morphologically similar species in the genus ''Hydnellum'' include ''H. congenum'' , ''H. ferrugipes'' and ''H. earlianum'' .

Distribution

This species is typically found growing solitary or in clusters on the ground in conifer and mixed woods. Rarely, fruit bodies may have their stipes fused together. ''Hydnellum aurantiacum'' has been reported from Australia, Europe, North America, and Asia, including China India, and Korea. It is one of the most frequently encountered Thelephorales species found in the Sverdlovsk region of Russia.

Habitat

This species is typically found growing solitary or in clusters on the ground in conifer and mixed woods. Rarely, fruit bodies may have their stipes fused together. ''Hydnellum aurantiacum'' has been reported from Australia, Europe, North America, and Asia, including China India, and Korea. It is one of the most frequently encountered Thelephorales species found in the Sverdlovsk region of Russia.