 The fungus is classified in the stirps ( species thought to be descendants of a common ancestor ) Diabolum of the genus Hydnellum , a grouping of similar species with the following shared characteristics : flesh that is marked with concentric lines that form alternating pale and darker zones ( zonate ) ; an extremely peppery taste ; a sweetish odor ; spores that are ellipsoid , and not amyloid ( that is , not absorbing iodine when stained with Melzer 's reagent ) , acyanophilous ( not staining with the reagent Cotton Blue ) , and covered with tubercules ; the presence of clamp connections in the hyphae . Molecular analysis based on the sequences of the internal transcribed spacer DNA of several Hydnellum species placed H. peckii as most closely related to H. ferrugineum and H. spongiosipes . 
 The fungus is classified in the stirps ( species thought to be descendants of a common ancestor ) Diabolum of the genus Hydnellum , a grouping of similar species with the following shared characteristics : flesh <a href='null_relcl' title='1'><mark>that</mark></a>is marked with concentric lines <a href='null_relcl' title='2'><mark>that</mark></a>form alternating pale and darker zones ( zonate ) ; an extremely peppery taste ; a sweetish odor ; spores <a href='null_relcl' title='3'><mark>that</mark></a><a href='drop_aux' title='4'><mark>are</mark></a>ellipsoid , and not amyloid ( that is , not absorbing iodine when stained with Melzer <a href='null_genetive' title='5'><mark>'s</mark></a>reagent ) , acyanophilous ( not staining with the reagent Cotton Blue ) , and covered with tubercules ; the presence of clamp connections in the hyphae . Molecular analysis based on the sequences of the internal transcribed spacer DNA of several Hydnellum species placed H. peckii as most closely related to H. ferrugineum and H. spongiosipes . 
Da fungus is classified in tdastirps ( species thought to be descendants of a common ancestor ) Diabolum of the genus Hydnellum , a grouping of similar species with thdaollowing shared characteristics : flesh is marked w concentric lines form alternating pale and darker zones ( zonate ) ; an extremely peppery taste ; a sweetish odor ; spores ellipsoid , and not amyloid ( that is , not absorbing iodine when stained witw/lzer  reagent ) , acyanophilous ( not staining with the reagent Cotton Blue ) , and covered with witrcules ; thedaesence of clamp connections in the dahae . Molecular analysis based on the sequences of the internal transcribed spacer DNA of several Hydnellum species placed H. peckii as most closely related to H. ferrugineum and H. spongiosipes .