Microscopy

Hyphal system: Dimitic, generate hyphae and skeletal hyphae; reported as clamped, but very difficult to observe; very prominent and characteristic (for the genus) spiky crystal balls (stellate agglomerations) present throughout the basidiocarp, up to 24 µm across. Basidia: Cruciate (longitudinally septate heterobasidia), sphaeropedunculate (ellipsoid to subglobose basidia with a stalk), with four sterigmata per basidium; length (9.2) 9.7–12 (13) µm (length may include stalk, difficult to differentiate), width (5.6) 5.9–7.4 (7.9) µm, x̄ = 10.8 ✕ 6.6 µm (n = 10); sterigmata length (3.7) 4.8–8.2 (9) µm (n = 10). Basidiospores: Ellipsoid to cylindrical with a flattened adaxial side, smooth, thin-walled, inamyloid, acyanophilous, repetitive; length (6) 6.3–7 (7.5) µm, width (3.7) 3.9–4.2 (4.4) µm, x̄ = 6.6 ✕ 4.1 µm, Q (1.5) 1.5–1.7 (1.9) (n = 30). Sterile structures: Thick-walled pseudocystidia (tramal cystidia) arising from the skeletal hyphae, typically wrapped around each other and bundled together in fascicles as they project beyond the hymenium in the center of minute "teeth" or mounds (giving the basidiocarp its granulose to hydnoid appearance), becoming thin-walled and sometimes tapering at the apex and forming bristle-like tips; up to hundrds of microns long, width 3.0–4.5 (5.9) µm (n = 10).