Fauna
Fungus

Sweet Tooth Mushroom

Hydnum repandum

Also known as Wood Hedgehog, Hedgehog Mushroom, Pig's Trotter

Sweet Tooth Mushrooms form mycorrhizal relationships with a wide variety of deciduous and coniferous trees, helping host roots absorb minerals from the surrounding soil. Instead of traditional gills or pores, the underside of the pale cream to buff cap features dense, hanging spines or teeth that release white spores at maturity. These fungi emerge in late summer and autumn, appearing singly, in scattered groups, or occasionally fusing into dense fairy rings across the forest floor.

Tooth FungusMycorrhizalForest Dweller
Sweet Tooth Mushroom reference1 / 7
(c) Piotr Lukasik, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Piotr Lukasik · cc-by
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyMycorrhizal (symbiotic with tree roots)
Predators
  • Slugs
  • Fungus Gnats
  • Squirrels
ThreatsHabitat loss, forest clearcutting, heavy soil compaction
HabitatsDeciduous and coniferous forests, woodland soil, mossy leaf litter
Life spanFruiting bodies persist 1–3 weeks; underground mycelium lives indefinitely
Classification
  1. OrderCantharellales
  2. FamilyHydnaceae
  3. GenusHydnum
  4. SpeciesHydnum repandum
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
  • Underneath Inspection: Gently peek underneath the cap to observe the distinctive hanging spines instead of gills.
  • Soil Preservation: Avoid disturbing surrounding moss and root systems when inspecting forest fungi.
  • Habitat Context: Note nearby host trees such as beech, oak, spruce, or pine to identify local mycorrhizal partners.
Related species
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