Synonymy:
Hydnum thelephorum Lév., Annls Sci. Nat., Bot., sér. 3 2: 204 (1844)
Pseudohydnum thelephorum (Lév.) Lloyd, Mycol. Writ. 5: 859 (1919)
Trechispora thelephora (Lév.) Ryvarden, Syn. Fung. (Oslo) 15: 32 (2002))

Hydnodon thelephorus is a peculiar member of Hydnodontaceae Jülich (some consider it phylogenetically a basal member of the large genus Trechispora which eventually would possibly be splitted). The micromorphology of H. thelephorus (= T. thelephora) corresponds very well to the genus Trechispora, but the pileate-stipitate morphology of its basdiomata is unusual for this usually resupinate genus. It is mainly a neotropical species but Interestingly extending its distribution up to southeastern USA. Soil conditions seem to drive its distribution.

LC under IUCN criteria

Mostly in the neotropics, Hydnodon thelephorus (Lév.) Banker has been found in the Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, French Guyana, Galapagos Islands, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, and very importantly up to Carolina, southeastern USA!!

50 known localities, most finds in the neotropics, very few in USA.

Recorded mainly in humid lowland tropical areas in the neotropics, but a few in deciduous southeastern North American forests. Saprotroph only in primary vegetation and under certain soil conditions (yet to be determined).

Currently it remains only 56% of humid tropical forests, in some regions mostly phragmented and highly degraded (Koleff et al, 2012; Laurence, 2010). 25% out of world forests are humid tropical forests and harbor the richest biological diversity in the terrestrial world (Asner et al., 2009); America has 40% of humid tropical forests worldwide.

We need to know the exact sizes of individuals and populations and how soil conditions determine its phragmented distribution

Albee-Scott S, Kropp BR, 2010. A phylogenetic study of Trechispora thelephora. Mycotaxon 114, pp. 395–399 doi: 10.5248/114.395

Cifuentes J, Patiño-Conde V, Villegas M, García-Sandoval R, Valenzuela R., 2005 First record of Hydnodon thelephorus from Belize, Dominican Republic, Mexico and new data on its morphology and distribution. Mycotaxon 91: 27-34

Coker WC, AH Beers 1951. The stipitate Hydnums of Eastern Unites States. The University of North Carolina Press,Chapel Hill, N. Carolina, USA, 211 pp

Koleff, P., Urquiza-Haas, T., Contreras, B.,2012. Conservation priorities for tropical forests in Mexico: Reflections about their conservation status and management. Ecosistemas 21(1-2):6-20. http://www.revistaecosistemas.net/articulo.asp?Id=707

Larsson KH, 2007. Re-thinking the classification of corticioid fungi. Mycological Research 11: 1040-1063.

Laurance WF, 1999. Reflections on the tropical deforestation crisis. Biological Conservation 91:109-117.

Ryvarden, L. 2002. A note on the genus Hydnodon. Synopsis Fungorum. 15:31-33