Phellodon connatus or Hericium fused
Systematics:
- Department: Basidiomycota (Basidiomycetes)
- Subdivision: Agaricomycotina (Agaricomycetes)
- Class: Agaricomycetes (Agaricomycetes)
- Subclass: Incertae sedis (undefined)
- Order: Thelephorales
- Family: Bankeraceae (Banker)
- Genus: Phellodon (Fellodon)
- Species: Phellodon connatus (Phellodon fused (Hericium fused))
This mushroom is found quite often, as well as felt phellodon. The fused phellodon has a cap about 4 cm in circumference, gray-black, irregular in shape. In young mushrooms, the edges of the cap are whitish. Often several hats grow together in a group. The lower surface is covered with short spines, which at first are white and then turn gray-purple. The stem of the mushroom is short, black and thin, shiny and silky. Spores are spherical, covered with thorns, not colored in any way.
Phellodon grows together in coniferous forests quite often, especially on sandy soil among pine trees, but also comes across in mixed forests or spruce forests. Its growth period falls on the months from August to November. It belongs to the group of inedible mushrooms. It is very much like the black hedgehog, which is also inedible. But the color of the cap and thorns of the hedgehog is black and blue, and the leg is thick, covered with a felt coating.
