15 September 2010 West Sussex. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. Fruiting Body Nodular, surface felty or smooth, ochraceous brown, then reddish brown, with dark brown strands at the base, to about 4 cm across Flesh Whitish, becoming blackish, with cavities, spongey and moist Smell Faint, fruity, pleasant Season Summer to autumn Distribution Infrequent Habitat Buried, or poking through the soil surface, with deciduous trees Microscopic Features Spores ellipsoidal, smooth (6.5-10.5) x (3.5-5) µm2 Edibility Inedible, although according to Pegler, Spooner and Young, in British Truffles, this fungus used to be sold and eaten in Somerset Notes The fruit bodies of this species could easily be mistaken for small stones. 
15 September 2010 West Sussex. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. |