othe cia , ▁which ▁occur ▁sing ly ▁or ▁in ▁groups ▁of ▁up ▁to ▁about ▁ 2 5 , ▁arise ▁from ▁a ▁short ▁st alk . ▁The ▁st alk ▁is ▁variable ▁in ▁length ▁and ▁solid , ▁dark ▁outside , ▁white ▁within . ▁The ▁stal ks ▁origin ate ▁from ▁a ▁s cler ot ium , ▁a ▁compact ▁mass ▁of ▁hard ened ▁my cel ium . ▁The ▁s cler ot ium ▁has ▁an ▁almost ▁gel atin ous ▁consist ency ▁with ▁irregular ly ▁sh aped ▁lo bes ▁and ▁internal ▁ch amb ers , ▁and ▁may ▁reach ▁a ▁diameter ▁of ▁. ▁The ▁s cler ot ium ' s ▁function ▁is ▁thought ▁to ▁supply ▁mo ist ure ▁and ▁nut ri ents , ▁or ▁to ▁serve ▁as ▁a ▁resist ant ▁structure ▁capable ▁of ▁sust aining ▁the ▁fung us ▁through ▁times ▁of ▁stress . ▁W .   mac rot is ▁is ▁the ▁only ▁other ▁species ▁in ▁the ▁genus ▁to ▁bear ▁a ▁s cler ot ium . ▁ ▁W yn nea ▁amer icana ▁has ▁no ▁disc ern ible ▁od or , ▁and ▁its ▁taste ▁is ▁unknown . ▁It ▁has ▁been ▁described ▁as ▁in ed ible ▁due ▁to ▁its ▁t ough ness . ▁ ▁Micro scop ic ▁characteristics ▁ ▁With ▁many ▁cup ▁fung i , ▁micro scop ic ▁analysis ▁of ▁the ▁an atom y ▁and ▁structure ▁of ▁the ▁ap othe ci um ▁is ▁necessary ▁for ▁accurate ▁identification ▁of ▁species , ▁or ▁to ▁help ▁distinguish ▁between ▁related ▁species ▁that ▁have ▁a ▁similar ▁external ▁appearance . ▁In ▁W .   amer icana , ▁the ▁e