Battarrea phalloides
Battarrea phalloides (Dicks. : Pers.) Pers.
Tulostomataceae
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B2ab(i,ii,iv)].
Morphology and biology. Young fruit-body hypogeous, ovoid, approx. 5 cm in diameter, covered by a two-layered peridium. Exoperidium whitish, also two-layered. During the development of the fruit-body a hollow, cylindrical receptacle is formed inside; then the exoperidium breakes and the receptacle brings out a fertile, whitish, head-like gleba, 3–10 cm in diameter, covered by the endoperidium. Stalk 15–46 × 1.5–3 cm, scaly, at the base with a wide, cup-shaped, two-layered volva. Endoperidium thin, whitish, smooth, rupturing via an equatorial fissure. Upper part of the head falling off, lower part persistent, attached to the stalk. Gleba powdery when mature, dark brown. Spores globose or slightly angular, 4.8–7.2 µm diam, dark brown; walls three-layered. V–IX.
Habitats and populations. On sandy and clay soils in steppes and semiarid areas.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Thracian Lowland (Plovdiv, Ostrova Park, near Maritsa River, on sandy soil with decaying wood of poplar, Populus canescens).
General distribution. Europe, Asia, North and South America, Africa, Australia.
Threats. Habitat loss/degradation caused by agriculture and wood plantations, selective logging, sand extraction, development of tourism/recreation, and road infrastructure, industrial soil pollution.
Conservation measures taken. Included in the Red List of Fungi in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Study of the population numbers and range; better understanding of the species biology and ecology; conservation of the habitat; regular monitoring.
References. Gyosheva et al. 2006.
Authors: Melania Gyosheva & Georgi T. Stoichev
