Sarcodon imbricatus

Taxobox |

---

name = Sarcodon imbricatus
regnum = Fungi
phylum = Basidiomycota
classis = Agaricomycetes
ordo = Thelephorales
familia=Bankeraceae
genus="Sarcodon"
species="S. imbricatus"
binomial="Sarcodon imbricatus"
binomial_authority= (L.) P. Karst.mycomorphbox
name = Sarcodon imbricatus
whichGills =adnate
capShape =flat
hymeniumType=teeth
stipeCharacter=bare
ecologicalType=mycorrhizal
sporePrintColor=brown
howEdible=edible

"Sarcodon imbricatus", commonly known as the shingled hedgehog or scaly hedgehog, is a species of tooth fungus in the order Thelephorales. The mushroom itself is edible, however, it has a bitter taste. The mushroom has a large, brownish cap with large brown scales and may reach 30 cm (12 in) in diameter. On the underside it sports greyish brittle teeth instead of gills, and has white flesh. The spore print is brown. It is associated with spruce ("Abies"), appearing in autumn. It ranges throughout North America and Europe, although collections from the British Isles are now assigned to another species.

Taxonomy

The Swedish botanist Olof Celsius reported in 1732 that "Sarcodon imbricatus" occurred in the vicinity of Uppsala, and Linnaeus wrote of it in his 1737 work "Flora lapponica".cite book | author = Nilson S. & Persson O. | year = 1977 | title = Fungi of Northern Europe 1: Larger Fungi (Excluding Gill-Fungi) | publisher = Penguin|isbn=0-14-063005-8|pages=p. 76] It was one of the species initially described by Linnaeus, as "Hydnum imbricatum", in Volume Two of his "Species Plantarum" in 1753. [la icon cite book | last=Linnaeus | first=C | authorlink=Carolus Linnaeus | title=Species Plantarum: Tomus II | publisher=Holmiae. (Laurentii Salvii). | date=1753| pages=p. 1178] The specific epithet is the Latin "imbricatus" meaning "tiled" or "with overlapping tiles". [cite book | last = Simpson | first = D.P. | title = Cassell's Latin Dictionary | publisher = Cassell Ltd. | date= 1979 | edition = 5 | location = London | pages = 883 | id = ISBN 0-304-52257-0] It was then placed in the genus "Sarcodon" by Finnish mycologist Petter Adolf Karsten in 1881. The generic name is derived from the Ancient Greek stems "sarco-" 'flesh' and "odon" 'tooth'.cite book | author = Liddell, Henry George and Robert Scott | year = 1980 | title = A Greek-English Lexicon (Abridged Edition) | publisher = Oxford University Press | location = United Kingdom | isbn =0-19-910207-4]

For many years, "Sarcodon imbricatus" was described associated with both spruce and pine, although the latter forms were smaller and noted to be more palatable by mushroom hunters in Norway. Furthermore, the mushroom has been used as a source of pigment and collectors noted that fresh specimens collected under pine yielded pigment, but only old ones collected under spruce. Molecular analysis of the DNA revealed the two forms to be distinct genetically, and thus populations of what had been described as "S. imbricatus" were now assigned to "Sarcodon squamosus", which includes collections in the British Isles and the Netherlands.cite journal |author=Johanneson H, Ryman S, Lundmark H, Danell E |year=1999|title="Sarcodon imbricatus" and "S. squamosus" – two confused species. |journal=Mycological Research |volume=103|pages=1447–52 |doi=10.1017/S0953756299008709 |url=http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?aid=43253 (abstract) |accessdate=2008-06-21]

Description

The mushrooms, or fruiting bodies, can be quite large in size. the brownish or greyish cap measures up to 30 cm (12 in) in diameter and is covered with coarse darker brown scales. It is funnel-shaped. The underside bears soft, pale grey 'teeth' rather than gills. These are 0.5-1 cm long and brittle. The pale grey or brown stem may reach convert|8|cm|in|1 high and convert|3|cm|in|1 wide, and may be narrower at the base and is sometimes eccentric.cite book | last = Haas |first=Hans | year = 1969 | title = The Young Specialist looks at Fungi |pages=p. 170| publisher = Burke | isbn= 0-222-79409-7]

From above, it may be confused with the old man of the woods ("Strobilomyces strobilaceus") as both have a similar shaggy cap. The bitter and inedible "Sarcodon amarascens" can be distinguished by its bluish-black stipe.cite book|last=Zeitlmayr |first=Linus|year=1976|title=Wild Mushrooms:An Illustrated Handbook|publisher=Garden City Press, Hertfordshire|isbn= 0-584-10324-7|pages=p. 106]

Distribution and habitat

They grow in association with spruce ("Abies"), especially in hilly or mountainous areas, and can appear on sandy or chalk soils in fairy rings. The usual fruiting season in August to October. It ranges throughout North America and Europe,cite book |last=Arora |first=David |year=1986|title=Mushrooms demystified: a comprehensive guide to the fleshy fungi |edition=2nd ed. |location=Berkeley |publisher=Ten Speed Press |isbn=0-89815-169-4| pages=p. 620] although collections from the British Isles are now assigned to another species, "Sarcodon squamosus".cite book | author = Phillips R | year = 2006 | title = Mushrooms |p. 323 | publisher = Pan MacMillan|location=London | isbn = 0-330-44237-6]

Uses

Old mushrooms of "Sarcodon imbricatus" and related species contain blue-green pigments, which are used for dyeing wool in Norway. [Rice M, Beebee D. (1980). "Mushrooms for Color". Mad River Press : Eureka.]

Edibility

The fungus can be bitter, although this is less apparent in younger specimens. Submerging the mushrooms in boiling water will remove this. It can be pickled or dried and used as flavouring. In Bulgaria it is collected, dried and finely ground to be used as an aromatic mushroom flour. [cite book | author = Z. Angelova | title = Гъбите в България | publisher = Картография ЕООД (Bulgaria) ] It is reported as edible but of poor quality in the United States.

References

External links

* " [http://www.mushroomexpert.com/sarcodon_imbricatus.html Sarcodon imbricatus] " at [http://www.mushroomexpert.com Mushroom Expert]