How to identify Sweet Tooth Mushroom

To correctly identify Sweet Tooth Mushroom (Hydnum repandum), check each of these features in order. Misidentification is the most common cause of mushroom poisoning, so cross-reference multiple sources.

Step-by-step identification

1. 1

   Cap

   Shape, color, surface texture, and diameter.

   The cap is usually convex to irregular in shape, ranging from 3 to 15 cm in diameter. The color varies from whitish to cream, pale orange, or light tan. The surface is dry and smooth, often becoming wavy or lobed with age.

2. 2

   Gills

   Attachment to stem, color, and spacing.

   Instead of gills, Hydnum repandum has closely packed, brittle spines or teeth that hang down from the underside of the cap. These spines are typically 2-7 mm long and decurrent (running down the stem).

3. 3

   Stem

   Length, shape, surface, and any ring.

   The stem is short, stout, and often off-center. It is typically 3-10 cm long and 1-3 cm thick. The color is similar to the cap, whitish to pale tan. The surface is smooth and dry.

4. 4

   Flesh

   Color, texture, and bruising reaction.

   The flesh is thick, firm, and brittle. It is whitish to pale yellowish. In older specimens, the flesh can become bitter or peppery.

5. 5

   Fruiting body

   Overall growth pattern.

   The fruiting body is typically medium-sized, with a cap and stem. The most distinctive feature is the presence of spines or teeth on the underside of the cap, rather than gills or pores.

6. 6

   Habitat

   Where it grows and on what substrate.

   Hydnum repandum is found in deciduous and coniferous forests. It is a mycorrhizal fungus, forming symbiotic relationships with trees. It typically fruits in late summer and autumn.

Key Facts

Cap surfaces

Dry, smooth, often wavy or lobed.

Growth Form

Solitary or in small groups.

Spore Print

White to cream.

Body color

Whitish to cream, pale orange, or light tan.

Odor

Mild, pleasant.

Flesh bruises

Not typically bruising.

Height

3-10 cm

Cap Diameter

3-15 cm

Fruit body characteristics

• Gill attachment: Decurrent spines.
• Stem shape: Cylindrical to irregular.
• Stem surface: Smooth, dry.
• Ring: Absent.
• Stem cross-section: Solid.

Explore Sweet Tooth Mushroom