Hydnum is a genus of fungi in the family Hydnaceae. They are notable for their unusual spore-bearing structures of teeth rather than gills. The best known are the edible species Hydnum repandum and H. rufescens. There are no known toxic varieties of Hydnum. Widely regarded as important maintainers of forest ecosystems, the Hydnum genus is known to have ectomycorrhizal relationships with multiple plant families. Hydnum has many brittle, white teeth from which the spores drop. Some species have teeth which hang from ascending branches, while other species have teeth which project downwards from the undersurfaces of dead wood. Most Hydnum species are safe to eat, and contain many fatty acids and antioxidants.
Taxonomy and diversity Hydnum species are found on every continent that is habitable for plant life, with some preferring deep forest regions. Most of the common species, such as H. repandum and H. rufescens can be located in Europe, East Asia, and Australia.
Hydnum repandum is a common and edible species. Also called the "hedgehog mushroom", H. repandum is most often found in Europe, Mexico, and North America. The smooth cap grows as wide as 8 inches across, and the stem is off-center and is less than 2 inches long. H. repandum is often confused in looks for its similar tasting cousin, the Chantrelle mushroom. Medicinally, H. repandum has shown promising signs in preventing malignant sarcomas in mice.
Hydnum rufescens is another common edible variety of hydnum. Known locally as the terracotta hedgehog mushroom, it can be found in Portugal. It has been found to contain high levels of fatty acids and nutrients essential to the human diet.
Hydnum minum is a new species that was described in 2015. First located in Japan, H. minum is identifiable by a "whitish basidiomata", or spore-producing structure.
Hydnum vesterholtii has been newly found in calcium rich areas of the Mediterranean, as well as in the Pyrenees and Italy, and is recognized by an ochre tinted spore cap.
Hydnum ovoideisporum, much like H. vesterholtii, has an orangish colored cap. It is also found in the Iberian-Mediterranean climate and is fond of calcium rich soils.
Species Image Scientific name Taxon author Year Hydnum aerostatisporum Buyck, D.P. Lewis & V. Hofst. 2017 Hydnum albertense Niskanen & Liimat. 2018 Hydnum albidum Peck 1887Hydnum alboaurantiacum Swenie & Matheny 2018Hydnum albomagnum Banker 1901 Hydnum ambustum Cooke & Massee 1887 Hydnum arachnoideofarinosum Rick 1959 Hydnum berkeleyanum K. Das, Hembrom, A. Baghela & Vizzini 2018 Hydnum boreorepandum Niskanen, Liimat. & Niemelä 2018 Hydnum brevispinum T. Cao & H.S. Yuan 2021 Hydnum brunnescens Velen. 1922 Hydnum canadense Niskanen & Liimat. 2018 Hydnum combinans Peck 1901 Hydnum commutatum (Bourdot & Galzin) Pouzar 1956 Hydnum cremeoalbum Liimat. & Niskanen 2018 Hydnum cuspidatum Swenie & Matheny 2018 Hydnum dispersum Berk. 1845 Hydnum durieui Sacc. 1888 Hydnum eichelbaumii Henn. 1905 Hydnum elatum Massee 1914Hydnum ellipsosporum Ostrow & Beenken 2004Hydnum ferruginescens Swenie & Matheny 2018 Hydnum flabellatum T. Cao & H.S. Yuan 2021 Hydnum flavidocanum T. Cao & H.S. Yuan 2021 Hydnum geminum Swenie & Matheny 2018 Hydnum heimii Maas Geest. 1959 Hydnum humidum Banker 1902Hydnum ibericum Olariaga, Liimat. & Niskanen 2018 Hydnum indurescens D. Hall & D.E. Stuntz 1972 Hydnum inopinatum (Donk) Pouzar 1956 Hydnum jussii Niskanen, Liimat. & Kytöv 2018 Hydnum longibasidium T. Cao & H.S. Yuan 2021 Hydnum magnorufescens Vizzini, Picillo & Contu 2013 Hydnum mcnabbianum J.A. Cooper 2023 Hydnum melitosarx Ruots., Huhtinen, Olariaga, Niskanen, Liimat. & Ammirati 2018 Hydnum melleopallidum Kranab., Liimat. & Niskanen 2018 Hydnum minus Yanaga & N. Maek. 2015 Hydnum modestum Snell & E.A. Dick 1962 Hydnum molluscum Fr. 1849Hydnum mulsicolor Liimat. & Niskanen 2018 Hydnum neorepandum Niskanen & Liimat. 2018 Hydnum olympicum Niskanen, Liimat. & Ammirati 2018Hydnum oregonense Norvell, Liimat. & Niskanen 2018Hydnum ovoideisporum Olariaga, Grebenc, Salcedo & M.P. Martín 2012 Hydnum pallidocroceum T. Cao & H.S. Yuan 2021 Hydnum pallidomarginatum T. Cao & H.S. Yuan 2021 Hydnum papyraceum Wulfen 1787 Hydnum politum Fr. 1836 Hydnum quebecense Niskanen & Liimat. 2018 Hydnum reginae Kibby, Liimat. & Niskanen 2022 Hydnum repando-orientale Liimat. & Niskanen 2018Hydnum repandum L. 1753Hydnum rufescens Pers. 1800 Hydnum salmoneum R. Heim 1966 Hydnum slovenicum Liimat. & Niskanen 2018 Hydnum sphaericum T. Cao & H.S. Yuan 2021 Hydnum spongiosum Rick 1906Hydnum subconnatum Swenie & Matheny 2018 Hydnum subcremeoalbum Tedersoo, Liimat. & Niskanen 2018 Hydnum subincarnatum K.A. Harrison 1964 Hydnum subisidioides Rick 1959 Hydnum submelleum Rick 1959 Hydnum submulsicolor Niskanen & Liimat. 2018 Hydnum subolympicum Liimat., Niskanen, R.E. Baird & Voitk 2018 Hydnum subovoideisporum Niskanen & Liimat. 2018 Hydnum subpallidum Snell & E.A. Dick 1962 Hydnum subrufescens Niskanen & Liimat. 2018 Hydnum subtilior Swenie & Matheny 2018 Hydnum tangerinum T. Cao & H.S. Yuan 2021 Hydnum tenuidens Rick 1959 Hydnum tenuistipitum T. Cao & H.S. Yuan 2021 Hydnum treui Tedersoo, Liimat. & Niskanen 2018Hydnum umbilicatum Peck 1902 Hydnum vagabundum Swenie, Ovrebo & Matheny 2018 Hydnum ventricosum T. Cao & H.S. Yuan 2021 Hydnum vesterholtii Olariaga, Grebenc, Salcedo & M.P. Martín 2012 Hydnum zongolicense Garibay 2018
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