Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Scleroderma citrinum

Scleroderma citrinum

9.9
A round brownish-yellow fungus covered in small bumps with a dark purple inside that is not edible
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Scleroderma citrinum
  • Researchers identified the fungus as Scleroderma citrinum due to its dingy brownish-yellow outer layer and dark purplish interior.

Examples

  • Researchers identified the fungus as Scleroderma citrinum due to its unique warty peridium.

  • The forest floor was dotted with Scleroderma citrinum among the fallen leaves.

  • You should not eat Scleroderma citrinum as it is considered inedible or mildly toxic.

  • The Scleroderma citrinum is often found in forested areas.

  • Look at that Scleroderma citrinum!

  • On our hike, we spotted several examples of Scleroderma citrinum growing near the base of the trees.

  • The guide explained that Scleroderma citrinum is recognizable by its warty surface and is typically found in woodland areas.

Surface Forms

Scleroderma citrinum singular
Scleroderma citrinums plural

Morphology

Scleroderma + citrinum

Knowing 'Scleroderma' as a genus of fungi allows a learner to infer this is the name of a species in that genus, so the genus-species relation is transparent. However, 'citrinum' is a Latin epithet (not a standard English word and not defined here), so the specific descriptive sense (colour/texture) cannot be derived by a B1 learner; scientific binomials are therefore only partially compositional for general learners.

Etymology

Scleroderma citrinum comes from parts meaning 'hard skin' (Scleroderma) and 'lemon-yellow' (citrinum). This fits the round, warty fungus with a tough outer skin and a dingy brownish-yellow surface, so the name helps you remember how the fungus looks.