Termitomyces is a mushroom intriguing both to mycologists and entomologists. As the name might suggest the species are considered obligate symbionts of termites belonging to the subfamily Macrotermitinae.
The termites culture the fungus, by actively feeding the mycelium. The Termitomyces mycelium grows on comb-like structures made from faecal pellets (see photo above and left). These pellets are made of digested plant material passed quickly through the termite gut. After some weeks the plant material is degraded so much by the fungus, that it is palatable to the termites.
The mushrooms fruit after heavy rains when moisture reaches the comb within the termites nest.
Termitomyces titanicus (the largest mushroom in the world according to Guinness Book of Records) has a cap diameter of up to 1 meter, whereas Termitomyces microcarpus rarely exceeds 2 cm. Although the genus covers a wide macromorphological range, the species are not very distinct microscopically.
The unifying characters of the Termitomyces species are the pinkish spores, the termite association and the subterranean elongation of the stipe called a pseudorhiza, through which the fruitbodies of most species are connected to the comb in the termite nest. Furthermore most of the species have a pronounced umbo or papilla called a perforatorium, which is thought to play a role during the penetration of the soil.
15 species are more or less well known and collected by people, in Africa. These are: T. aurantiacus, T. clypeatus, T. entolomoides,
T. fuliginosus, T. globolus, T. letestui, T. mammiformis, T. medius, T. microcarpus, T. reticulatus, T. robustus, T. sagittiformis, T. schimperi, T. striatus, T. umokwaani.
| 
