Tooth Fungi

tooth fungi also called teeth fungi, include several highly edible species. Many have ‘teeth’ which are long, like spines, and hang downwards. So their common names reflect their resemblance to hedgehogs, waterfalls, beards, or the shaggy heads of bears or monkeys. It is the pendent teeth which are edible. Others such as the hedgehog fungus have small teeth which are only visible when one looks under the cap.

The genus Hericium, whose members grow on deciduous trees and their stumps or logs, supplies some of the best. H. coralloides and H. erinaceum, which occur in many parts of the world including Europe and N. America, are of picturesque appearance, giving rise to names such as bear’s head, coral, or waterfall in N. America.