A user-friendly point-and-click key to the
 M
ushrooms of North America
(Copyright©1998-2003 Edward J. Polasek)

Home
About the Key
Glossary
Key 1
Key 2
Key 3
Key 4
Key 5
Key 6
Key 7
Key 8
Key 9
Key 10

 

Key 3.0

Hydnums

 

Is the cap absent; body with long, delicate hanging teeth?

Yes

Is the sap present; stalk central, off-center or lacking?

Yes      

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have a member of the Hericum family

Is it an oval, fleshy mass with long spines, but no branches?

Yes

Does it have multiple branches with long spines?

Yes

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is it white; growing on wounds of living hardwoods?

Yes

Is it yellowish, growing on wounds of living conifers?

Yes

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have a Hericum erinaceus

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have a Hericum weirii

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Does it grow only on pine cones? ...................

Yes

Is it not found on pine cones; cap large; stalk central or lacking?

Yes

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have an Auriscapium vulgare

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are the teeth hanging only from branch tips?

Yes

Are the teeth hanging from along the branch?

Yes

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have a Hericium coralloides

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have a Hericium camosum

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is the stalk absent, sessile on living trees?

Yes

Is the stalk present and central? ...................

Yes

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is it a woody conk on conifers on PNW?

Yes

Is it shelf-like, fleshy, overlapping on hardwood?

Yes

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have a Echinodontium tinctorium

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have a Steccherium septenrionale

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is the flesh brittle, easily broken, without color zones?

Yes

Is the flesh very tough, colored zones?

Yes

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is the cap brown with coarse raised scales; taste somewhat bitter? .............

.Yes

Is the cap red-brown with small mostly flat scales, taste very bitter?

Yes

Is the cap orange, hairless, dry; taste mild? .......................   ................

Yes

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have a Hericium imbricatum

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have a Hericium scabrosum

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have a Dentinum rapandum

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is the stalk bright violet, fragrant; disagreeable odor?

Yes

Is the stalk not violet; odor not disagreeable?

Yes

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have a Hydnellum suaveolens

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is the cap whitish at first with wine-red drops of liquid; odor resinous?

Yes

Is the cap light-orange without liquid, ; stalk orange; odor mild? ...............

Yes

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have a Hydnellum diabolus

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have a Hydnellum aurantiacum

 

Top

 

 

Please report any broken links to: cyberschroom@yahoo.com

Copyright©1998-2003 Edward J. Polasek
All Rights Reserved