Sarcosphaera coronaria
Sarcosphaera coronaria (Jacq.) Boud.
Pezizaceae
Conservation status. Vulnerable [VU B1ab(iii,iv)].
Morphology and biology. Young fruit-bodies hypogeous, closed, spherical or tuber-shaped, 3–10 cm in diameter, white. The mature fruit-body appearing on the ground surface, large (up to 18 cm), cup-shaped, with 7–10 radial and curved sections. Inner (fertile) surface violet; upper surface whitish to cream, usually with soil remains. Flesh fragile, whitish. Spores ellipsoid, 13–18 × 8–9 µm, hyaline, smooth, with two oil drops. III–VIII.
Habitats and populations. On the ground in deciduous and coniferous forests.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Balkan Range (Central), Sofia Region, Znepole Region, Rhodopi Mts, Thracian Lowland.
General distribution. Europe, North America, N Africa.
Threats. Habitat loss/degradation caused by stock breeding, wood plantations, logging, development of tourism/recreation infrastructure, soil pollution.
Conservation measures taken. Included in the Red List of Fungi in Bulgaria. One of the localities is within the borders of the Stara Reka Strict Nature Reserve (Balkan Range). Some localities are in sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria. The species is included in the list of fungi to be added to Appendix I of Bern Convention.
Conservation measures needed. Study of the population numbers and range; better understanding of the species biology and ecology; conservation of the habitats; regular monitoring.
References. Burzakov 1931; Hinkova 1961; Hinkova & Stoichev 1983; Gyosheva & Vassilev 1994; Fakirova et al. 2000, 2002; Dahlberg & Croneborg 2003.
Authors: Roumyana D. Petrova & Cvetomir M. Denchev
