Appearance
The fruitbodies of ''H. erinaceus'' are large, irregular bulbous tubercules. They are 5–40 cm in diameter, and are dominated by crowded, hanging, spore-producing spines, which are 1–4 cm long. Fruit bodies and spines colour are white to cream, but can turn yellow-brown when older.The hyphal system is monomitic, amyloid, and composed of thin- to thick-walled hyphae that are about 3–15 microns wide. The hyphae also contain clamped septa and gloeoplerous elements , which can come into the hymenium as gloeocystidia.
The basidia are 25-40 um long and 5-7 um wide, contain four spores each and possess a basal clamp. The white amyloid basidiospores measure around 5-7 um in length and 4-5 um in width. The spore shape is described as subglobose to short ellipsoid and the spore surface is smooth to finely roughened.
Naming
''Erinaceus'' literally means “hedgehog” in Latin which is also reflected by the German name ''Igel-Stachelbart'' and some of its common English names, such as ''bearded hedgehog'', ''hedgehog mushroom'', ''hou tou gu'', and ''yamabushitake'', among many others.
Distribution
''Hericium'' species can be found throughout the northern hemisphere. ''Hericium erinaceus'' has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries and its production is widespread within Asia, mostly using extensive production practices on wood logs or stumps.Despite its higher prevalence in Asia, ''H. erinaceus'' was first described in North America. Its production there occurs only on a small scale. Most of it is intensive indoor production with only a few small outdoor sites where log cultivation is practiced. Three ''Hericium'' species can be found in eastern North America, one being ''H. erinaceus'', the other two ''H. Americanum'' and ''H.coralloides.''
Although ''H. erinaceus'' is native to Europe, it has been red listed in 13 European countries due to poor germination and establishment. This specific genus fruits between August and December in the United Kingdom, and will continue to produce spores until as late as February in the following year. It is able to withstand cold temperatures and frost conditions.
Uses
''Hericium erinaceus'' produces edible fruiting bodies that have uses as food and in traditional medicine.References:
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