Figure 1.

Partially matured (a) and immature (b) fruit bodies of Astraeus hygrometricus embedded in lateritic soil (note fruit bodies partially covered by roots in b), fused two fruit bodies (c), cleaned tender fruit bodies (d), cut open fruit bodies (e) (note edible tender immature fruit body with white interior in top used for analysis and mature fruit bodies blackened interior were discarded) and mature and near spent stage of mushroom (f).