Sarcodon is a genus of fungi in the family Bankeraceae, which is part of the order Thelephorales, known for its almost universal ectomycorrhizal ecology.[1] The genus owes its name to the presence of teeth-like spines on the hymenophore, from ancient Greek; sarco = flesh and odon = tooth. For this reason they are commonly called "tooth fungi", or "Hydnoid fungi".

Sarcodon
Sarcodon imbricatus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Basidiomycota
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Thelephorales
Family: Bankeraceae
Genus: Sarcodon
Quél. ex P.Karst. (1881)
Type species
Sarcodon imbricatus
(L.) P.Karst. (1881)
Species

See text

Description edit

Sarcodon species have yellow to brown tinted basidiospores,[2] with lengths in the range of 7.4-9 µm.[3] The basidiomata are often soft and fleshy.[2]

Species edit

As of September 2015, Index Fungorum listed 49 valid species of Sarcodon.[4] However, in 2019 Larsson et al. transferred 12 species into the genus Hydnellum.[3]

Human uses edit

Several species within the Sarcodon genus, including S. imbricatus (see figure), are edible. The fungus can be bitter, but that is less apparent in younger specimens. In China, it is a popular edible mushroom and it is used to reduce cholesterol, relax the muscles, and improve blood circulation.[7] Isolates from the genus, called scabronines, may increase nerve growth factor synthesis in vitro.[8]

References edit

  1. ^ Tedersoo, L.; May, TW.; Smith, ME. (2010). "Ectomycorrhizal lifestyle in fungi: global diversity, distribution, and evolution of phylogenetic lineages". Mycorrhiza. 20 (4): 217–263. doi:10.1007/s00572-009-0274-x. PMID 20191371. S2CID 3351967.
  2. ^ a b Geesteranus, Maas RA (1975). Die Terrestrischen Stachelpilze Europas (The Terrestrial Hydnums of Europe). Vol. 1. North-Holland Publishing. pp. 1–127.
  3. ^ a b Larsson; Svantesson; Miscevic; Kõljalg; Larsson (2019). "Reassessment of the generic limits for Hydnellum and Sarcodon (Thelephorales, Basidiomycota)". MycoKeys. 54: 31–47. doi:10.3897/mycokeys.54.35386. PMC 6579789. PMID 31231164.
  4. ^ Kirk PM. "Species Fungorum (version 26th August 2015). In: Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life". Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  5. ^ a b c d Grupe, Arthur C.; Baker, Anthony D.; Uehling, Jessie K.; Smith, Matthew E.; Baroni, Timothy J.; Lodge, D. Jean; Henkel, Terry W. (2015). "Sarcodon in the Neotropics I: new species from Guyana, Puerto Rico and Belize". Mycologia. 107 (3): 591–606. doi:10.3852/14-185. PMID 25661714. S2CID 25900469.
  6. ^ Pérez-De-Gregorio MA; Macau N; Carbó J. (2011). "Sarcodon quercinofibulatum, una nueva especie del género con Hifas Fibulíferas" [Sarcodon quercinofibulatum, a new species of the genus with hyphae with clamp connections] (PDF). Revista Catalana de Micologia (in Spanish). 33: 25–30.
  7. ^ Jang NS. "Method for manufacturing health beverage from 'Sarcodon aspratus'". Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  8. ^ Obara, Y.; Nakahata, N.; Kita, T.; Takaya, Y.; Kobayashi, H.; Hosoi, S.; Kiuchi, F.; Ohta, T.; Oshima, Y.; Ohizumi, Y. (1 April 1999). "Stimulation of neurotrophic factor secretion from 1321N1 human astrocytoma cells by novel diterpenoids, scabronines A and G". European Journal of Pharmacology. 370 (1): 79–84. doi:10.1016/s0014-2999(99)00077-1. ISSN 0014-2999. PMID 10323283.