| Major Groups > Toothed Mushrooms > Auriscalpium vulgare |
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Auriscalpium vulgare [ Basidiomycetes > Russulales > Auriscalpiaceae > Auriscalpium . . . ] by Michael Kuo This goofy little toothed mushroom grows on conifer cones across North America, especially the cones of pines and Douglas-Fir. Its underside features tiny spines, or "teeth"--and that's really about all you need to know in order to identify it. On cones, tiny teeth; nothing else comes close. The stem of Auriscalpium vulgare is tough and fuzzy, and usually extends from the side of the cap, making the mushroom look like a little periscope sent up from a pine-cone submarine. If you are wondering about the edibility of Auriscalpium vulgare, I have four words for you: Look at the pictures. Description: Ecology: Saprobic on the cones of conifers--especially pines and Douglas-Fir; growing alone or gregariously (up to 4 or 5 mushrooms per cone); late fall and early winter, or over winter in warmer climates; widely distributed in North America. Cap: 1-4 cm across; broadly convex or flat; kidney-shaped or almost circular in outline; dry; hairy; dark brown to nearly black. Under Surface: Spines 1-3 mm long; white at first, becoming brownish; crowded. Stem: 2-10 cm long; up to 3 mm thick; usually lateral; tough; dark brown; hairy. Flesh: Whitish to brownish; tough and thin. Spore Print: White. Microscopic Features: Spores 4-6 x 3-5 µ; round or nearly so; smooth, or becoming finely spiny when mature. REFERENCES: Gray, 1821. (Arora, 1986; Lincoff, 1992; Roody, 2003.) Further Online Information: Auriscalpium vulgare at MykoWeb |
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Cite this page as: Kuo, M. (2006, February). Auriscalpium vulgare. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/auriscalpium_vulgare.html |