Tulostoma shaihuludii and an illustration of one of the “Shai-Hulud” sandworms that feature in science fiction classic “Dune” Péter Finy/Dániel G. Knapp
A strange, living obelisk erupts out of the sand and arches its long body over windswept dunes. But this is no giant sandworm on the alien world of Arrakis. It is one of four newly described species of sand-dwelling fungi living on the Pannonian steppe in Hungary.
Stalked puffballs (Tulostoma) can be easily distinguished from other fungi, says Bálint…
