Collection #: 12
Scientific Name: Hericium ramosum
Phylum: Basidiomycota; Agaricomycetes
Order: Russulales
Family: Hericiaceae
Common Name: Comb Hericium
Location: Hiram College Field station
Habitat: By the end of a dead log
Date of collecting: October 8th
Collector: Cornelia
Notes: Look like a beautiful Alien white willow; like the one in Avatar
How did I key this out:
Fig.1 Specimen in habitat (1)
Fig.2 Specimen in habitat (2) Fig.3 Specimen in habitat (3)
From the "specimen in habitat" pictures above, we could obviously see that this is a type of the Teeth Fungi. These organisms are really beautiful as well as easy to key. For Teeth Fungi, we can go directly to the key for them on page 611.
Key to the Hydnaceae:
1. (B) Not as above (the Auriscalpium); not growing on cones; stalk if present usually thinker (2)
2. (B) Not as above (the Pseudohydnum gelatinosum) (3)
3. (A) Growing on wood (4)
4. (A) Fruiting body a branched framework or unbranched cushion of tissue from which spines are suspended (i.e., icicle-like); lacking a distinct cap (Hericium, p. 613)
Key to Hericium:
1. (B) Fruiting body branched, the spines hanging from the branches or branch tips (sometimes scarcely branched and very compact, but if so, then usually growing on conifers) (2)
2. (B) Growing mainly on hard woods, fruiting body white when fresh (but may turn yellowish in age); widely distributed (3)
3. (A) Spines rather short (3-10 mm), arranged in rows along the branches (like teeth on a comb); branching usually open rather than compact; fruiting body often delicate (H. ramosum, p. 615)
Fig.4 Specimen piece collected (4) Fig.5 Specimen piece dried (5)
Description of the species:
Fruiting body: 8-35 cm broad and 6-15 cm
high when mature, comprised of an open framework of rather delicate, toothed
(spine-laden) branches arising from a tough, repeatedly branched rooting base
or "trunk"; pure white when fresh discoloring creamy to buff or
yellowish-tan in old age. Flesh white.
Spines: more or less evenly distributed
in lines along the branches (like teeth on a comb), sometimes also in small
tufts at the branch tips; spines rather short (3-10 mm long or up to 25 mm long
in the tufts).
Spore print: white; spores 3-5 x 3-4 microns, nearly round, smooth or minutely
roughened, amyloid.
Habitat: Solitary or in small groups on
fallen hardwood branches, logs, and stumps; widely distributed. It is said to
be the most common Hericium in North America, but like the others，is uncommon in our area. I have found
it in the fall，winter，and early spring on
dead oak, and I have seen it in the
summer on aspen and poplar in New Mexico.
Edibility: Edible and delicious when
cooked slowly, but not as fleshy as the other Hericiums.
Comments: Formerly
known as H.
laciniatum, this lovely species is smaller and
more delicate than H. abietis and H. coralloides, with slightly
shorter spines and smaller spores. Also,
the branching is more open and the spines are arranged in lines
lengthwise along the
branches,
rather than exclusively in tufts. A compact form of this species occurs, but is rare.
Collecting and keying story:
Fist of all, I have to admit that the teeth fungi are really beautiful. This is actually the first time for me to see this type of fungi. They are pure white, soft, and giant as well. People were all extremely excited when we see the teeth fungi during the field trip. But meanwhile, since this type of fungi usually have a really giant fruiting body, I only collected a branch of it since there's no way I could put the whole thing into my paper bag or the collecting box. I have to admit that this is the most beautiful specimen I've ever collected, and I really enjoy the process of keying this out.
Phylum, order and family name cited from:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hericium_ramosum
Keys cited from:
Mushrooms Demystified by David Arora (Second Edition). This book was printed by Ten Speed Press with copyright @ 1979 and 1986.
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