More mushrooms for a fungi Friday.
I’m still trying to catch up with my mushroom finds of the last few days. Here are two more.

Bear’s Head Tooth Mushroom – Hericium americanum

Bear’s head? tooth? – I don’t see a bear’s head no matter how big my beer goggles are. Teeth up the wazoo maybe but why the singular? Maybe it’s the size, these mushroom get pretty big. This one was more than a handful and probably weighted over a pound.

A better common name is Lion’s Mane Mushroom – I can see that without getting half in the bag. Still better would be to call it the Icicle mushroom, but I’m the only one so far that uses that name.

They grow on old hardwood stumps and logs and occasionally from wounds in living trees. This one was growing on an old maple log. They are considered choice eating. The flesh is white and firm but don’t ask me how they taste. Like I’ve said countless times before – I do not put fungus in my mouth.

Yummy looking? Don’t forget to cook it before you take a bite.

Now here’s a mushroom that is aptly named. One look and you can see why.

Eyelash Cup Mushroom – Scutellinia scutellata

These are small orange cups with eyelash like hairs on the cup’s edge. They usually grow in groups on dead wood and sometimes on damp ground. Here’s a pic that gives a bit a scale. They’re smaller than Lincoln’s head on a penny.

eyelash cup fungus

Looking closer you can see the eyelashes. No point in a staring contest – they never blink.

I’ve got more photos of mushrooms on the way. Next time I hope to have some Yellow Fairy Cups to go with the Blue Stain I’m planning to put on the screen. Meanwhile I’m back off to the woods. Right now it’s prime time for mushroom hunting in the North Country of NY.

• Mushrooms
• Comments(7)

7 Responses

1. Curbstone Valley Farm Says:
   September 23rd, 2011 at 5:35 pm

   You really do find the most fabulous fungi! I’m so jealous. I did find a fun toothy polypore a couple of winters ago, but I’ve never found a Lion’s Mane. The eyelash cup is a gorgeous color too!

   Sorry to say the Lion’s Mane is an eastern shroom but there is a similar one that grows on conifers in the Pacific northwest. The eyelash cups are in your range but they like it more moist than what I believe you have. The rotting logs I find them on are usually moss covered and rarely dry out.

2. Becky Says:
   September 23rd, 2011 at 6:02 pm

   With all the rain we even have mushrooms growing here, but the mosquitoes are wicked. I have to wonder if the people who name mushrooms have been eating those funny kind. I just don’t see it, but then a Bear claw doesn’t look like it has ever been anywhere near a bear,but those are good even if they may not be so good for you.

   Old Hemlock woods seem to be the best hunting grounds right now. Seems like fungi of all sorts love them. The majority of my latest finds have been on old hemlock logs.

   I find most have reasonable names. But this Bear’s Head thing really pushed the limits and I would have to concur that someone was a bit out of their mind when they named it.

   yum, I’d wrestle a grizzly for one.

3. sharkbytes Says:
   September 23rd, 2011 at 6:52 pm

   more jealousy! I’ve seen it in the books, but never in real life!

4. sharkbytes Says:
   September 23rd, 2011 at 6:53 pm

   THat’s the eyelash one. I’ve seen the tooth mushroom several times. Thought they were separate posts when I commented first.

   Surprised you haven’t seen any eyelash cups. I find them all the time in spring and fall on all sorts of rotting moss covered logs. They are small but the color usually makes them stand out.

5. Ellen Says:
   September 24th, 2011 at 9:49 am

   I know jealousy is unattractive, but oh how I envy that bear’s head tooth.

   I’ve been pretty unattractive after seeing your adventure trip posts.

   I know, you want to do unspeakable things to it. Too bad we’re so far apart or I would have brought it home for your dinner.

6. sharkbytes Says:
   September 24th, 2011 at 7:27 pm

   The only cup fungus I seem to find here is scarlet cup

7. Vava Says:
   October 14th, 2012 at 6:28 pm

   Just found 2 of those bear heads in a pile of wood in my yard googled it and your web site came up with the cool pictures and descriptions. Thanks!

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