genus like fungi family newly described genus contains species type species known central thailand grows soil old growth forests dominated trees fruit bodies strong coal tar similar consists numerous internal lined spore producing tissue described new science found malaysia produces like orange fruit bodies fruit bodies like resume original shape water origin specific derives perceived resemblance cartoon character apart differences distribution differs colour spore structure description fruit bodies species brain like like form grow surface ground stalk lack layer outer skin small fruit body irregular outline measure diameter lined smooth orange brown reddish brown hymenium spore bearing tissue sterile ridges range colour white cream column like structure extending fruit body poorly developed pear shaped cream coloured attached base white brown brown mass shaped symmetrical finely spores bear central region attached end small spores reddish brown water violet grey potassium turning red stain basidia spored discharge spores forcibly cystidia common sterile edges hyaline translucent range shape cylindrical swollen middle hyphae flesh gelatinous clamp connections absent hyphae taxonomy naming type species described scientifically based specimens collected july central thailand roughly years later location reported illustrated thai publication unidentified species described scientifically journal authored team headed description based specimens collected malaysia species mentioned scientific literature study mushrooms tropical formally described publication genus refers like nature fruit body specific epithet denotes country type species found epithet honors known cartoon character unusual epithet garnered species attention popular press phylogeny classification molecular analysis dna sequences internal region showed species recognized level similarity confirmed molecular analysis showed match large dna sequences value typical species genus sister sharing common ancestor genus form clade sister genera members family phylogenetic relationships determined molecular techniques consistent classification scheme based similarities spore morphology taxa proposed accommodate species reddish brown brown finely spores include subgenus subgenus species southeast_asia share spore characteristics species spores surfaces minute spores turn purple potassium additionally pores species share similar surface ornamentation visible scanning electron contrast spores genetic analysis shows closely allied smooth spored spored relatively end dark reddish brown smooth spores thin walled depression species spores pores molecular analyses demonstrate related resembles species cellular structure cap cuticle arrangement known features hyphae emerging roughly parallel like hairs perpendicular surface fruit body comprises chains short cylindrical somewhat cells resembling string terminal end cells cylindrical club shaped cellular arrangement similar present sterile edges tissues according colleagues represent cap cuticle tissue ancestor genus forms ground fruit bodies lack exposed lined basidia forcibly discharge spores ecology habitat distribution species known original collection locations found growing ground old growth forest province thailand elevation metres fungus thought grow mycorrhizal association species considered endangered critically endangered respectively collected ground growing trees malaysia northern borneo tropical receives rain yearly average temperatures ranging species lost ability spores distinctive suggesting fungus relies activity animals help disperse spores island habitat genus gene flow known species separated considerable distance geographically authors suggest isolated tracts forests thailand malaysia contain additional species
Spongiforma