Fauna
Fungus · GBIF taxon 2522210

Red-juice Tooth

Hydnellum peckii

Also known as Bleeding Tooth Fungus, Devil's Tooth, Strawberries and Cream, Bleeding Hydnellum

Young fruit bodies exude striking ruby-red guttation droplets across a velvety white surface during moist, humid mornings. Below the cap, delicate tooth-like spines replace conventional gills, darkening from pale pink to dull purplish-brown as spores mature. Deep underground, extensive mycelial filaments form vital mycorrhizal partnerships with conifer roots, exchanging scavenged minerals for host tree sugars.

Tooth FungusMycorrhizalForest Floor
Red-juice Tooth reference1 / 7
Licensed reference(c) Morten Ross, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Morten Ross · cc-by
—observations
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & prey
  • Mycorrhizal symbiont (absorbs tree carbohydrates in exchange for soil minerals)
Predators
  • Fungus gnat larvae
  • Slugs
  • Springtails
ThreatsAtmospheric nitrogen pollution, soil compaction, and clear-cut forestry
HabitatsBoreal and subalpine coniferous forests among moss and fallen needles
Life spanFruit bodies persist 2–4 months; underground mycelium lives decades
Classification
  1. FamilyBankeraceae
  2. SpeciesHydnellum peckii
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Many edible mushrooms have toxic look-alikes; never eat wild fungi based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
  • Observation: Search damp conifer moss beds during late summer and autumn after steady rains.
  • Field Identification: Check underneath the cap for downward-pointing spines rather than pores or gills.
  • Preservation: Avoid touching fresh guttation droplets or uprooting the fibrous, slow-decaying cap.
Related species
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