Hericium americanum (Bear's head)
Family
Hericiaceae
Location
North America
Dimensions
Body 15–20 cm across, spines 2-8 cm long
Edibility
This site contains no information about the edibility or toxicity of mushrooms.
Description
Hericium americanum, also known as Bear's head, is a large mushroom belonging to the tooth fungus group. It grows on dead broadleaf trees and on fallen trunks and branches; perhaps initially parasitic on dying broadleaf trees.

Fruiting body usually has several branches. White or pale yellow-brown turning darker with age, the fruitbody is attached to the substrate by a very short, broad stipe. Stem very short if present. Spore print white.

Microscopic Features: The spores are generally ellipsoidal to subglobose in shape and have a smooth or slightly warty surface. They measure approximately 5-7µm in length and 4.5-6µm in width.

Hericium americanum on the MushroomExpert.Com Web site.
Hericium americanum on the www.first-nature.com web site.

Many mushrooms are poisonous and some are lethally poisonous. It can be very difficult to distinguish between an edible and a poisonous mushroom. Because of that, we strongly advise against consuming wild mushrooms, and this site does not contain any information about the edibility or toxicity of mushrooms.

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