This section is a quick explanation of some of the identifying characteristics of Hericium species erinaceus, coralloides, and americanum which fall into the taxonomic family Hericiaceae.
As with all of these pages, they are NOT intended to be used as a key or diagnostic tool, but a guide of basic identifying characteristics so that you can make informed decisions and easy-access to other, more detailed resources.

Edibility Basics

Hericium Species- Lion's mane/Bear's Head tooth

Teeth


All three of the Hericium spp. share one common structure, teeth - which are easy to pinch off or cut through with even a dull blade. 

Hericium erinaceus


Often called Lion's mane, on account of it's mane-like shape, this saprobe (eats dead/decaying material) is easily distinguishable from the other Hericium species by it's ball or cluster-like shape. 

Hericium coralloides/americanum
Picture by Cyndee Helms

Rather than forming a ball, these two form branched structures from which the teeth hang. H. coralloides typically has teeth .5-1cm in length while H. americanum has teeth that hang a longer .5-4cm in length and sometimes looks shaggier. Both are edible.

 Photo by Cyndee Helms 


Distinct Teeth From Omnibus Structural Core



Rather than forming a ball, these two form branched structures from which the teeth hang. H. coralloides typically has teeth .5-1cm in length while H. americanum has teeth that hang a longer .5-4cm in length and sometimes looks shaggier. Both are edible.

 Photo by Cyndee Helms 


Saprobes

Hericium are saprobes, consuming the dead or dying wood of hardwoods (though they aren't picky). Look up to find them.

More About Hericium


Look A Likes




One of the more common mushrooms that is sometimes confused for Hericum is Spongipellis pachyodon due to the elongated teeth. S. pachyodon is much tougher (think shoe leather) and the teeth are wide or oblong in shape. Furthermore S. pachyodon has a cap-like surface underneath-which the teeth hang. Hericium erinaceus can have a 'cap-like' structure in age, but there is a less defined boundary between cap and teeth.







Please remember to seek other sources for confirmation before consuming any wild mushroom


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