Scleroderma citrinum Pers.
(Common Earthball)

Taxonomic hierarchy:
SpeciesScleroderma citrinum (Common Earthball)
GenusScleroderma (earthballs)
FamilySCLERODERMATACEAE (earthballs and dyeballs)
OrderBOLETALES (spongecap toadstools and their relatives, boletes)
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 Scleroderma citrinum (Common Earthball) :
1: Scleroderma citrinum (Common Earthball)
25 Oct 2009 OSGR: SU46 51° 20’ N, 1° 20’ W Vice County: North Hants (VC 12) England
under Hazel, Holly, Sweet Chestnut, etc . Photos: Fruitbodies and microscopy
Image 1: Cluster of fruitbodies - in situImage 2: Cluster of fruitbodies - upturned to show expanded baseImage 3: Cut flesh showing yellowing - close-upImage 4: Cut flesh showing yellowing - close-up (2)Image 5: Fruitbodies - TSImage 6: Fruitbody - TS - showing thickness of peridiumImage 7: Surface ornamentation - close-up - enlargedImage 8: Spores - magnifiedImage 9: Spores - highly magnifiedImage 10: Spores - highly magnified (2)Image 11: Spores - highly magnified (3)Image 12: Spores - highly magnified (4)Image 13: Spores - highly magnified (5)
2: Scleroderma citrinum (Common Earthball)
27 Sep 1997 OSGR: SU56 51° 30’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
under bracken on narrow path near birch
Image 1: FruitbodyImage 2: Fruitbody (2)Image 3: Fruitbody LSImage 4: Fruitbody - LSImage 5: Fruitbody - side-viewImage 6: Fruitbody - side-view (2)Image 7: Fruitbody - side-view (3)Image 8: Fruitbody - side-view (4)Image 9: Fruitbody - side-view (5)Image 10: Fruitbody surfaceImage 11: Fruitbody - surfaceImage 12: Fruitbody surface - close-upImage 13: Fruitbody - top-viewImage 14: Fruitbody - top-view (2)Image 15: Fruitbody - top-view (3)Image 16: Peridium surface - close-up
3: Scleroderma citrinum (Common Earthball) IDENTIFICATION UNCERTAIN
20 Jul 1968 OSGR: TQ21 50° 50’ N, 0° 10’ W Vice County: East Sussex (VC 14) England
in grass
Image 1: In situ

Scleroderma citrinum (Common Earthball) may be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for Scleroderma citrinum (Common Earthball)
BioInfoBioInfo (www.bioinfo.org.uk) has 8 host/parasite/foodplant and/or other relationships for Scleroderma citrinum (Common Earthball)

A very common species on acid soil, mainly in woodland. This is the host of Boletus parasiticus

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