Pseudohydnum gelatinosum (Scop.) P. Karst. - Toothed Jelly Fungus

Pseudohydnum gelatinosum - Toothed Jelly Fungus

Taxonomy

Phylum: Basidiomycota

Class: Tremellomycetes

Order: Auriculariales

Family: Insertae sedis (not yet determined)

Pseudohydnum gelatinosum, variously referred to as the Toothed Jelly Fungus, the False Hedgehog Fungus, or the White Jely Mushroom, occurs on well-rotted coniferous wood, notably spruce varieties. Despite a superficial similarity, this rubbery tooth fungus is not a close relative of either the Wood Hedgehog or the Bearded Tooth, both of which also occur in woodland habitats.

Some authorities in the USA suggest that this is an edible fungus, while others, particularly in Europe, have reported it as being inedible. In any case this is a relatively uncommon find and so it is certainly not worth gathering.

Identification Guide

The underside of this jelly fungus - a member of the Tremellales order - is toothed and remarkably similar in form to the spiny under-surfaces of the Wood Hedgehog, Hydnum repandun and Terracotta Hedgehog, Hydnum rufescens.

Size	Caps range from 2 to 10cm across with a total height, including stem, of up to 12cm but more typicaly 6cm.
Description	The caps are generally slightly convex (domed) and greyish white (sometimes brown in the centre) with translucent margins. The white or grey stems are either laterally or at least eccentically connected to the cap and they taper in towards the base, being typically almost as tall as the cap diameter. The underside of the cap has blunt spines rather than gills.
Spores	White.
Odour/taste	Not distinctive.
Habitat	Mainly on dead and decaying confierous wood - notably spruce but also pine. Felled trunks left to rot in shady, damp parts of the forest are likely to be hosts to this unusual species.
Season	Late Summer to early winter .
Occurrence	Infrequent.
Similar species	Tremella lutescens is cream when dry and sulphur yellow when wet; it has no spines and lacks a distinct stem. Hydnum repandum. the Wood Hedgehog, is not translucent and has a more solid fruitbody.

Dictionary of the Fungi; Paul M. Kirk, Paul F. Cannon, David W. Minter and J. A. Stalpers; CABI, 2008

Taxonomic history and synonym information on these pages is drawn from many sources but in particular from the British Mycological Society's GB Checklist of Fungi and (for basidiomycetes) on Kew's Checklist of the British & Irish Basidiomycota.