Hericium coralloides

Description

Hericium coralloides is a type of saprotrophic fungus that has a unique appearance with intricately branched clusters of whitish branches bearing spines. The branches come from a central point and the spines hang evenly in rows, resembling a comb. It grows on dead hardwood trees. When young, it is edible and tastes good. However, as it gets older, the branches and hanging spines become brittle and change color to a light shade of yellowish brown.

Common names: Comb Tooth, Coral Tooth Fungus.

Mushroom Identification

1. Fruiting Body

   The fruiting body is relatively large, measuring 3.15 to 7.87 inches (8 to 20 cm) across. It consists of branches that arise from a central core attached to the wood. The branches are 0.20 to 0.39 inches (0.5 to 1 cm) thick, smooth, and adorned with fleshy spines. The spines are 0.20 to 0.39 inches (0.5 to 1 cm) long, up to 1 mm wide, and appear white when fresh, but become faintly yellowish to brownish as they age.

2. Flesh

   The flesh of the fungus is white and does not change in color when sliced.

3. Odor and Taste

   There is no distinctive odor or taste associated with this fungus.

4. Spore Print

   The spore print of the fungus is white.

5. Habitat

   This fungus is likely to be found growing on fallen hardwood branches and stumps, and it tends to appear during late summer and fall, or even over winter and in spring in warmer climates. It has been observed in various locations across North America.

6. Microscopic Features

   Under a microscope, the spores are observed to be globose (spherical) and measure 3–4 x 2.5–3.5 µm. They are smooth or minutely roughened, appear hyaline (translucent) and contain a single guttule (a small, oily droplet) when treated with KOH. The spores also exhibit amyloid characteristics. The basidia, which are the spore-bearing structures, are subclavate (club-shaped) and measure 16–20 x 3–4 µm with four sterigmata (projections that bear spores). The fungus also possesses Gloeoplerous hyphae, which sometimes extend into the hymenium (the spore-bearing surface) and develop into cystidia. These cystidia measure up to 40 x 5 µm and have a cylindrical shape with knobbed apices. They appear smooth and have thin walls.

Look-Alikes

1. Hericium americanum

   The spines are typically longer than 1 cm. Under the microscope, its spores are substantially larger.

2. Hericium erinaceus

   Also white, but formed by long, tight, unbranched needles that are equal in size and regularly distributed. Additionally, it has larger spores.

3. Hericium cirrhatum

   Has smooth upper areas with hanging needles.

Synonyms and Varieties

• Clavaria madreporaeformis Retz., Suppl. Scand.:19 (1779)

• Dryodon aciculare (Sacc.) Bourdot, Bulletin de la Société Mycologique de France 48:221 (1932)

• Dryodon acicularis (Sacc.) Bourdot [as 'aciculare'] 1932

• Dryodon coralloides (Scop.) P. Karst., Meddel. Soc. Fauna Fl. Fenn.:15 (1881)

• Friesites caput-ursi (Fr.) P. Karst., 1879

• Friesites coralloides (Scop.) P. Karst., Meddelanden af Societas pro Fauna et Flora Fennica 5:41 (1879)

• Hericium abietinum (Schrad.) Schleich., 1821

• Hericium abietis f. brevispineum (Peck) D. Hall & D.E. Stuntz, 1971

• Hericium alpestre f. caput-ursi (Fr.) Nikol., 1950

• Hericium caput-ursi (Fr.) Corner, 1955

• Hericium coralloides f. caput-ursi (Bourdot & Galzin) Nikol., 1950

• Hericium laciniatum (Leers) Banker, 1906

• Hericium ramosum (Bull.) Letell., 1826

• Hericium ramosum f. caput-ursi (Fr.) D. Hall & D.E. Stuntz, 1971

• Hericium reichii Opiz, Lotos:256 (1851)

• Hydnum abietinum Schrad., 1794

• Hydnum aciculare Sacc., Michelia 2 (6):154 (1880)

• Hydnum caput-ursi Fr., Monographia Hymenomycetum Sueciae 2:278 (1863)

• Hydnum clathroides Pall., Reise Prov. Russ. Reichs:744, f. 3 (1773)

• Hydnum coralloides Scop., Flora carniolica 2:472, no 1602 (1772)

• Hydnum coralloides var. abietinum (Schrad.) Pers., 1801

• Hydnum coralloideum Batsch, Elenchus fungorum:113 (1783)

• Hydnum laciniatum Leers, Flora Herbornensis:276 (1775)

• Hydnum novae-zealandiae Colenso, Transactions of the New Zealand Institute 21:79 (1889)

• Hydnum ramosum Bull., Herbier de la France 9, t. 390 (1789)

• Hydnum stalactiticum Schrank, 1786

• Manina caput-ursi (Fr.) Banker, 1912

• Manina coralloides (Scop.) Banker, Mycologia 4 (5):276 (1912)

• Medusina coralloides (Scop.) Chevall., Flore Générale des Environs de Paris 1:279 (1826)

• Merisma coralloides (Scop.) Spreng., Caroli Linnaei systema vegetabilium 4(1):496 (1827)

Photo sources:

Photo 1 - Author: Elias (Public Domain)

Photo 2 - Author: joergmlpts (CC BY 4.0)

Photo 3 - Author: Marilyne Busque-Dubois (CC BY 4.0)

Photo 4 - Author: Katya Fedorova (CC BY 4.0)

Photo 5 - Author: rappman (CC BY 4.0)