Hydnum is a
genus of
fungi in the
Hydnaceae family. 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. The word is derived from
(h)udnon/ύδνον, an
Ancient Greek word for truffle. The white or buff
Hydnum repandum has a spore scatterer of still another shape. The smooth
cap grows as wide as 8 inches across. The
stem is off-center and is less than 2 inches long.
Hydnum has many brittle, white teeth from which the spores drop. The mushrooms of the
Hydnum group grow both on ground and on wood. 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 are safe to eat.