Hericium cirrhatum
Hericium cirrhatum is a saprotrophic fungus known as the tiered tooth fungus or spine face. It belongs to the genus Hericium in the order Russulales. It grows on dead standing hardwoods, fallen wood, or tree stumps, especially beech, in old deciduous woods. It has also been found on sycamore, birch, ash, oak and elm, and is found in Britain from July to November.
Description: The fruit body is bracket-like, with no stem. Spines hang in tiers like icicles, giving the surface a rough look with possible scales. Each tier is about 5–10 cm across and 2–3 cm thick, with spines a little over 1 cm long. The flesh is cream-colored; when young it smells pleasant and tastes good, with a texture like tender meat or fish. In older specimens the odor becomes unpleasant.
Identification: It can be mistaken for Hydnum rufescens or Hydnum repandum, which have smooth caps. Hericium erinaceus is a related species with a spherical fruiting body and longer spines.
Etymology: The name Hericium refers to the spines and means “pertaining to a hedgehog”; cirrhatum means “having tendrils.”
Conservation: This is a rare species. It was listed as vulnerable in the past but was removed from the Red Data List in 2006. Picking the fruiting bodies is not illegal, but collectors should take only small amounts to help conserve the species.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 01:01 (CET).