Asterophora lycoperdoides (Bull.) Ditmar
(Powdery Piggyback, Pick-a-back Toadstool)

Taxonomic hierarchy:
SpeciesAsterophora lycoperdoides (Powdery Piggyback, Pick-a-back Toadstool)
GenusAsterophora (piggyback or pick-a-back toadstools)
FamilyLYOPHYLLACEAE (a family of toadstools)
OrderAGARICALES (mushrooms and toadstools)
SubclassAGARICOMYCETIDAE (a subclass of basidiomycetes)
ClassAGARICOMYCETES (a class of fungi)
SubphylumAGARICOMYCOTINA (a subphylum of fungi)
PhylumBASIDIOMYCOTA (spore droppers, basidiomycetes)
KingdomFUNGI (true fungi)
DomainEukaryota (eukaryotes)
LifeBIOTA (living things)
Records of Asterophora lycoperdoides (Powdery Piggyback, Pick-a-back Toadstool) :
1: Asterophora lycoperdoides (Powdery Piggyback, Pick-a-back Toadstool)
24 Oct 2004 OSGR: SU56 51° 30’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
At roadside, under oak, Beech, Holly
Image 1: Close-upImage 2: Close-up (2)Image 3: Fruitbodies - close-upImage 4: Fruitbodies - LS - close-upImage 5: Fruitbodies - side view - close-upImage 6: Fruitbodies - side view - close-up (2)Image 7: On old black Russula nigricans - close-upImage 8: On old black Russula nigricans - in situImage 9: Chlamydospores - magnifiedImage 10: Chlamydospores - magnified (2)Image 11: Chlamydospores - magnified (3)
2: Asterophora lycoperdoides (Powdery Piggyback, Pick-a-back Toadstool)
21 Sep 2002 OSGR: SU76 51° 20’ N, 0° 60’ W Vice County: North Hants (VC 12) England
on this season’s old Russula
Image 1: In situImage 2: In situ - close-upImage 3: Fruitbodies - group - side view - enlargedImage 4: Fruitbodies - group - side view - enlarged (2)Image 5: Fruitbodies - group - side view - enlarged (3)Image 6: Fruitbodies - group - top view - enlargedImage 7: Fruitbodies - group - top view - enlarged (2)Image 8: Fruitbodies - underside showing gills - enlargedImage 9: Fruitbody - LS - enlargedImage 10: In situ - enlarged
3: Asterophora lycoperdoides (Powdery Piggyback, Pick-a-back Toadstool)
2 Oct 1999 OSGR: SU66 51° 20’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: North Hants (VC 12) England
on crowded-gilled blackening Russula (densifolia?)
Image 1: Cap - mature - close-upImage 2: Caps - mature - close-upImage 3: Fruitbodies - matureImage 4: Fruitbodies - mature (2)Image 5: Fruitbodies - mature - close-upImage 6: Fruitbodies on Russula sp.Image 7: Fruitbodies - young - close-upImage 8: Fruitbody - close-upImage 9: Fruitbody - close-up (2)Image 10: Fruitbody - close-up (3)Image 11: Chlamydospores - magnifiedImage 12: Chlamydospores - magnified (2)Image 13: Chlamydospores - highly magnified
4: Asterophora lycoperdoides (Powdery Piggyback, Pick-a-back Toadstool)
7 Oct 1987 OSGR: SU36 51° 20’ N, 1° 30’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
Image 1: Fruitbody - LSImage 2: Fruitbodies - close-up - in situ - enlargedImage 3: Fruitbodies - side view - close-up - in situ - enlargedImage 4: Fruitbodies - top view - in situ - enlargedImage 5: Chlamydospores - highly magnifiedImage 6: Description

Identification Works

AuthorYearTitleSource
Brand, A.W. 1990 Profiles of Fungi No. 28: Nyctalis asterophora Fr. Mycologist Vol 04 (2): 87.

Asterophora lycoperdoides (Powdery Piggyback, Pick-a-back Toadstool) may also be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for Asterophora lycoperdoides (Powdery Piggyback, Pick-a-back Toadstool)
BioInfoBioInfo (www.bioinfo.org.uk) has 9 host/parasite/foodplant and/or other relationships for Asterophora lycoperdoides (Powdery Piggyback, Pick-a-back Toadstool)

The commoner of our two species of Asterophora. The toadstools parasitise species of Russula, especially R. nigricans but also R. adusta. The fruitbodies are initially white (when they invite misidentification as A. parasitica) but soon turn brown as they develop a coating of brown chlamydospores. The gills are always poorly developed.

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