This species is referred to here as Sclerocystis sp., as the exact species name for this culture has not yet been established with certainty.
This species is fairly easy to culture and shows a few characteristics that distinguish it from other genera. It produces small spores, almost exclusively inside the polymer beads, as well as large sporocarps, always in an aerobic context, meaning never inside the polymer beads. Many sporocarps are found on the surface of the polymer beads, but it also produces them abundantly in vermiculite, particularly on the surface, which made it possible to take the following photos.
The factor that triggers sporocarp formation has not yet been identified, except that a certain degree of “maturity” of the fungus seems necessary: it must be well established for this production to occur. The small spores usually appear well before the black sporocarps.
Sporocarps form very quickly, within a matter of days. They can also appear directly on the roots or at the base of the stem, as seen in the photo at the top of the page.
The small hyaline spores are produced inside the polymer beads and appear before the sporocarps. It is still unknown whether they can germinate and give rise to another network.
Sporocarps can also form directly at the base of the stem, in a clearly aerobic context.
Sporocarp production can be very abundant, even on the surface of the vermiculite.
