Content
Black Phellodon (lat. Phellodon niger) or Black Hedgehog is a small representative of the Bankeraceae family. It can hardly be called popular, which is explained not only by its low distribution, but also by its rather rigid fruiting body. The mushroom does not contain toxic substances.
What does Phellodon black look like?
In appearance, Black Hedgehog is similar to terrestrial polypores: they are hard, shapeless, quite large and form entire clumps together with neighboring fruiting bodies. The peculiarity of the species is that it grows through various objects: plant shoots, small branches, pine needles, etc.
Description of the cap
The cap of Phellodon is large and massive - its diameter can reach 4-9 cm. It is irregular and asymmetrical in shape. The border with the leg is blurred.
In young mushrooms, the cap is colored bluish with an admixture of gray. As it grows, it noticeably darkens and the blueness disappears. Fully mature specimens are often almost black.
Their surface is dry and velvety. The pulp is dense, woody, dark inside.
Description of the leg
The leg of this Hedgehog is wide and short - its height is only 1-3 cm. The diameter of the leg can reach 1.5-2.5 cm. The transition to the cap is smooth. Along the border of parts of the fruiting body there is a noticeable blurred blackening.
The flesh of the leg is dark gray in color.
Is the mushroom edible or not?
Phellodon is not suitable for human consumption. This species does not contain toxic substances, however, its flesh is too hard. Classified as inedible.
Where and how does it grow
The period of active growth of this species occurs from July to October. Most often it is found in mixed and coniferous forests, especially under spruce trees, in areas covered with moss. Inside the caps you can find needles or even whole cones. Phellodon grows both singly and in groups, however, clusters of these mushrooms are usually found. Sometimes they form so-called “witch circles” in groups.
In Russia, Phellodon is most often found in the Novosibirsk region and the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug.
Doubles and their differences
Very often Phellodon black is confused with Hedgehog fused - its closest relative.They are really very similar: both have a gray color, sometimes black, irregular shape and a blurred boundary between different parts of the mushroom. The difference is that the fused Hedgehog is generally lighter in color and has numerous curves with growths over the entire area of the cap. In Black Hedgehog, bends are present only at the edges of the fruiting body. The lookalike is inedible.
Another lookalike of this species is Hydnellum blue. They have generally similar outlines of fruiting bodies, however, the latter has a more saturated color of the cap. As the name suggests, it is closer to blue. Refers to inedible mushrooms.
Conclusion
Phellodon black is a small mushroom, rather inconspicuous in appearance. The prevalence of this species is low and it can be seen infrequently. The mushroom is mainly found in pine forests, however, it is important to remember that in Russia it is prohibited to collect it - it is listed in the Red Book. Phellodon is not used in cooking due to the rigidity of its fruiting body and the small debris that gets into it as it develops.
You can learn more about what Hedgehog looks like from the video below:
