'Neosarcodon'
'Neosarcodon' atroviridis
AL
- greyish brown like so many others but discoloring purplish and
greenish. One single report in the PNW of this neotropical species has never
been confirmed, so it is not known if this occurs here or not. It would be far
out of its accepted range. My guess is something in the Sarcodon leucopus
group was mistaken for this. It can discolour purplish, and sometimes,
greenish too. Sarcodon atroviridis either needs a new genus, such as Neosarcodon, or
perhaps it could be moved to Hydnellum along with all the rest of the Sarcodon,
although we'll need a mutli-gene study to see if that works as Neosarcodon
is only placed using ITS.
Sarcodon (vaguely cap and stem
shaped) - true Sarcodon usually have spore lengths in the 7.5 - 9u
range.
Scaly cap - (note that Hydnellum scabrosum
and Hydnellum underwoodii
also have a distinctly scaly cap, but also a dark greenish stem base, at least
in H. scabrosum. H. underwoodii has much smaller spores).
Sarcodon squamosus EU - a
pine species with a dark vinaceous blackish-brown cap that is
usually less indented than the cap of S. imbricatus
(which also paler and lacks violaceous tones). One south Vancouver Island BC sequence is 3 bp
different than many EU sequences, so that probably represents the real species.
Sarcodon 'imbricatus PNW07' - one northern BC sequence is 6 bp different
than many EU sequences. No sign of it further south yet.
Sarcodon 'imbricatus PNW03'
- one scaly capped collection from WA has quite a unique sequence. It was
thought to be S. imbricatus.
Sarcodon 'imbricatus PNW04'
- one scaly capped collection from southern OR also has quite a unique sequence.
Sarcodon imbricatus EU is reported as
common but we
need more collections to see which species are actually here, and how to tell
them apart, as the sequence
of S. imbricatus itself has not yet been found here.

Sarcodon squamosus © SVIMS, unsequenced Sarcodon
scabrosus © Noah Siegel

Sarcodon 'imbricatus PNW03' ©
NAMA and the Field Museum of Natural History (2 images), S. 'imbricatus PNW04' © Jonathan Frank (2 images)
Smooth cap - (kept in Sarcodon due to genetics, but not easily
distinguished from Hydnellum except possibly by spore length, and not yet
distinguishable from each other)
Sarcodon 'leucopus PNW01' - Sarcodon leucopus is grayish brown,
discolouring purplish. Alaska and northern BC have collections 6 bp
different in ITS. We need PNW collections to see how they fit in, as it has been
reported from here. The spores of the real S. leucopus are reported small
for the genus, at a length of 6.5 - 7.5u.
Sarcodon PNW02 - our
single WA collection is greyish tan, with irregular darker
orange-brown stains on the cap. It sequences close to the scaly capped species S. imbricatus
and S. squamosus, but PNW02 seems to have a smooth cap.
Sarcodon 'scabripes PNW05' - another greyish tan-brown
species, with white flesh. Our one OR collection has a sequence 10 bp from one NC sequence of this NY
species, so it appears we might have a sister species here The OR sequence has
also been found in Mexico. S. scabripes has never been reported from the
PNW.
Sarcodon PNW06 - with a smooth, bright purplish cap, less dark and
less sordid than purplish Hydnellums, and with brown spores unlike the
similar Bankera 'violascens PNW01'. Found and sequenced once
from WA.

Sarcodon PNW02 © Daniel Winkler, S. 'scabripes PNW05'
© Jonathan Frank (2 images)

Sarcodon PNW06 © Steve Ness (2 images)
Hydnellum - vaguely cap and stem shaped - Hydnellum usually have
spore lengths in the 4.5 - 7u range. Note that both this form and the top
shaped form are mixed together throughout the tree. The two forms seem to have
evolved back and forth regularly.
Dark vinaceous-grey species
'Sarcodon' rimosus OR -
dark vinaceous grey-brown cap, but paler spines and flesh. This still
needs to move to Hydnellum. It's a local species the study probably never
heard of, so they neglected to move it.
Hydnellum fuscoindicum WA
- very dark purple throughout the flesh and even in the spines.
The taste should not be bitter.
Hydnellum 'fuligineoviolaceum PNW04
- one OR collection sequenced about 3% different in ITS to this very similar dark vinaceous black
species. Supposedly this species will taste much more bitter than H.
fuscoindicum. This species had never been
reported from the PNW before. Perhaps it was mistaken for H. fuscoindicum,
or perhaps it is 'Sarcodon' subincarnatus, below.
An uncultured soil sample sequenced to a unique species in this group as well,
but I don't know if it has ever fruited here.
'Sarcodon' subincarnatus OR
- said to be vinaceous brown, never photographed. Based on spore size, we
suspect this native species needs to be moved to Hydnellum, but we have
no sequences yet and need collections. It should be investigated if H. 'fuligineoviolaceum
PNW04' is this species.

'Sarcodon' rimosus © Andrew Parker and Bruce Newhouse,
Hydnellum fuscoindicum © Noah Siegel
Stem base and flesh sordid green, and/or
instrinsically scaly cap
Hydnellum scabrosum EU -
intrinsically scaly cap, not just cracking into scales. The other
intrinsically scaly capped species are true Sarcodons, above. Stem
base and base flesh dark greenish.
Hydnellum glaucopus EU -
much like Hydnellum
scabrosum, usually (but not always) with a green stem base, but without the intrinsically scaly cap of that species. However,
the cap does crack and break up into scales. This species was never suspected to
be in the PNW, it was probably assumed to be H. scabrosum, but now we know
both species occur here. One Victoria BC
collection sequenced within 3-4 bp of a couple dozen EU sequences of H.
glaucopus.
Hydnellum underwoodii CT - paler brown cap, also distinctly
scaly like H. scabrosum, and said to be sometimes greenish at the
stem base (otherwise hard to ID). We need local collections to see if this
really is here, or if this is a case of confusion with H. scabrosum or
H. illudens. We have ENA DNA to compare with, but that sequence has never
been found out west yet.
Hydnellum illudens EU -
a coarsely scaly species with a yellow-orange-brown cap and a
farinaceous taste (most others are bitter). Stem base not reported as
green. Our few local sequences sometimes come back dirty, but cleaned
sequences are clearly matching H. illudens. It is another species that had never been suspected to be here before.
It is described much like H. underwoodii so I wonder if reports are that
were really this species.

Hydnellum scabrosum © iNaturalist user stevef (2 images),
unsequenced H. scabrosum © Michael Beug

Hydnellum illudens © Regina Johnson
Other Orange-brown capped species
Hydnellum stereosarcinon NS
- with an orange-brown somewhat zoned cap. Note that is was placed in
Sarcodon because it can have a more regular cap and stem shape,
but based on our local photos, it may also appear somewhat top shaped. Our
sequences match a Quebec sequence of this Nova Scotia species within 3 bp in
ITS, and the micro measurements match too.
Hydnellum 'versipelle PNW08'
- probably looks a lot like H. stereosarcinon, because collections of
the latter have been mistaken for the former, with a pinkish-orange cap that
is not
zoned. WNA and ENA sequences differ from
EU sequences by 5 bp and 1 indel, so it should be investigated if ours is a
distinct species. We have one Victoria BC sequence locally, but no photo.
Hydnum crassum NS is currently a synonym, but it's possible they are not and
that could be the name of our fungus.

Hydnellum stereosarcinon © Michael Beug and Richard Bishop
'Sarcodon' indurescens WA
- dark orange-brown. KOH turned dark blue-green-black, but it may do that
in a number of other species too. Three
local collections have shown us what the sequence of this PNW native is. As a
native it was not included in the Sarcodon study and has yet to be
formally moved to Hydnellum.

'Sarcodon' indurescens © Kendra Dedinsky
Hydnellum lundellii EU -
another species not known from the PNW until one collection from ID was
sequenced. Our collection was dark brown but in the EU it is reported as
orange-brown, making it resemble the above species. I don't know much about how to recognize it yet. There are 2 bp
differences and 2 indels in ITS compared to a half dozen or so EU sequences, one
of them a long indel.

Hydnellum lundellii © Joe Matanzas
'Sarcodon' calvatus OR / 'Sarcodon'
calvatus var. odoratus ID - tan to cinnamon brown cap, especially
large, caps up to 25-35cm across (most other species max out at 10-20cm). So
far collections thought to be this local species have turned out to be something
else. We need a type sequence or other reliable collections to find out what the
sequence of this species is and get a verified photo. The var. odoratus
is spicy/fragrant similar to H. suaveolens. Based on spore size,
we suspect it needs to be moved to Hydnellum.
Hydnellum - top shaped - note that both this form and the top shaped form
are mixed together throughout the tree. The two forms seem to have evolved back
and forth regularly.
Blue/Purple/Black colours
Hydnellum 'caeruleum PNW07'
- this EU species is blue only on the young cap and perhaps a bit
in the young teeth, with rusty orange stem flesh. Our 2 local sequences are at
least 3 bp and 1 indel (maybe a few more indels) from many EU sequences, but some EU sequences
are quite different, so I can't be sure our species is the real thing.
Hydnellum cyaneotinctum ME is an ENA species that is currently a synonym,
but if our west coast species turns out to be distinct from H. caeruleum,
we should investigate if we can use the Maine name for it, or if ours needs a
new name.
One WA sequence (from an old collection without any blue) differs by a few
characters in ITS2 only, and has a string of differences near the beginning of
ITS1 that might not be real. It may just be an aberrant sequence, but I am
looking into whether or not there could be another species in this group.
Hydnellum 'suaveolens PNW01'
- blue mostly on the stem, with zoned blue flesh, otherwise
whitish darkening in age. Strong licorice odor. Our local species is 3%
different in ITS from EU type area sequences, so perhaps our species is
distinct. Hydnellum rickeri ME is currently a synonym, but it's possible
it is not and that could be the correct name for our species.
Hydnellum cyanopodium CA - blue tones throughout
the mushroom, including the flesh, with the
margin of the cap beaded with red drops when fresh. Strongly aromatic,
but not like licorice.
One WA and one OR collection probably represent this CA species.
Hydnellum regium OR - many
rosettes of purple black caps from a single stem. Two OR sequences of
this OR native give us the sequence of this species.
Hydnellum nigellum NS - a small, thin, black species that
resembles Phellodon except for having brown spores. We need PNW
collections to see if the report that it occurs here is true.

Hydnellum 'caeruleum PNW07' © Lauren Ré, H. 'suaveolens
PNW01' © Autumn Anglin and Mary McCallum

Hydnellum cyanopodium © Mary McCallum (2 images), H.
regium © Bruce Newhouse
Hydnellum aurantiacum group - orange species
Hydnellum aurantiacum EU -
orange cap, stem, and flesh. Whitish teeth and cap rim. Sequenced from WA
and OR.
Hydnellum 'aurantiacum PNW09' -
our one photograph of this sister species has brighter, paler orange cap,
and a unique sequence. Perhaps reports of H. aurantile, described with a
brighter orange cap than H. aurantiacum, teeth that are more orange when
young, and smaller spores, is actually this species, but these teeth are white.
So far H. auratile DNA has not been found here, but see PNW08 below. PNW09
is found so far in BC and WA.
Hydnellum 'aurantiacum PNW10'
-
another sister species to H. aurantiacum, found in BC. We don't even have
a photo yet.
Hydnellum PNW07 -
a thin fleshed orange mushroom, perhaps this is H. conigenum,
below. If not, it probably needs a name. Found in BC.
Hydnellum 'auratile PNW08' -
this collection with orange teeth (but caps not brighter orange) sequenced close
to H. auratile, described as having orange teeth and a smaller, brighter orange
cap than H. aurantiacum. Hydnellum auratile is reported from WA,
we need collections of it to see what it actually is.
Hydnellum conigenum ID - a
smaller, more thinner fleshed mushroom. No DNA data yet on what this is.
Perhaps it is H. PNW07 above. It is assumed to be in this clade.
Hydnellum complectipes WA / Hydnellum
complectipes var. disjunctipes WA - rosettes of many caps on a
single stem, or each with their own stem in var. disjunctipes. No DNA
yet, we need collections. It is assumed to be in this clade.
Hydnellum complicatum NY - with several caps on a single stem, but
the one report of this was made a long time ago. We need local collections to
see if this is really here. We do have ENA DNA to compare to.
Hydnellum cumulatum NS - not in the same clade as H. aurantiacum
and the others. It also consists of many caps on a single stem, but
perhaps not as distinctly orange as species in the H. aurantiacum
group. EU and ENA sequences agree, but we have no WNA sequences to confirm
Hall's report of this species here. Perhaps the similar H. complectipes
has been mistaken for this species, or perhaps they're the same.

Hydnellum aurantiacum © NAMA and the Field Museum of Natural History, & Mary
McCallum, H. 'aurantiacum PNW09' © NAMA and the
Field Museum of Natural History

Hydnellum PNW07 © SVIMS, H. 'auratile PNW08' © Noah
Siegel
Hydnellum scrobiculatum group - brown to red-brown, rough pitted cap (sometimes
concentrically zoned), dark red-brown
flesh with zones of different colours, sometimes bleeding red, but not dramatically like H. peckii.
Hydnellum scrobiculatum EU - cap not concentrically zoned. We
don't know for sure what this sequence looks like, but so far our best guess
doesn't match any species found yet in the PNW. It is regularly reported from
the PNW but we need sequenced collections.
Hydnellum 'scrobiculatum PNW02' - one uncultured soil sample from OR has
a unique sequence that may or may not represent a species that can fruit here.
Hydnellum 'scrobiculatum PNW03' - one OR collection is a unique species
in this group. It was quite small, resembling a Phellodon (perhaps
it was young?) and the caps seemed slightly zoned.
Hydnellum subsuccosum WA+OR -
with a concentrically zoned cap. We have ENA and EU sequences purporting to
be this, but no local collections sequenced. We need some.
Hydnellum concrescens EU - also with a concentrically zoned cap,
is often reported in the PNW. This is a complex of 4 or more species in the EU,
so there's no reason to believe this species is actually here. We do, however,
need to document which other species with concentrically zoned caps are here
besides H. subsuccossum. Hydnellum parvum AL is a synonym of H.
concrescens right now, but it
should be investigated if they really are synonyms, and if not, if that is one
of our species.

Hydnellum 'scrobiculatum PNW03' © Joseph D. Cohen
Hydnellum subzonatum NS - with zoned, chestnut brown caps, that
could be mistaken for zoned species in the H. scrobiculatum group, but
the flesh of this species is not zoned. We
don't have any sequences from anywhere yet, but it has been reported here once.

unsequenced Hydnellum subzonatum © Noah Siegel
Hydnellum 'peckii PNW05' NY
- "strawberries and cream". Species in this group are easily recognizable
due to their incredibly hot taste and the presence of many red drops
on the cap when young. Caps somewhat reddish-brown. There is some confusion about what this species is.
One NC sequence provided by Baird matches our sequences, so we may be right that
this species occurs here. But other studies by Baird called sequences of a
different lookalike by the name H. peckii, so until I see a type
sequence, I'm not sure what this species should be called.
Hydnellum 'diabolus PNW06' ME
- some local collections have sequences that instead match a Nova Scotia
sequence labeled H. diabolus, currently thought to be a synonym. There
are definitely a few species in this complex, and we have two of them, but
without type sequences I'm not sure what to call them, so for now they both get
codes as I'm not sure I'm applying the names correctly. Interestingly, these 2
are not sister species, so hopefully differences between them will be found in
the future, and their real names revealed.
Hydnellum ferrugineum EU - said to look the same (many red droplets) but
taste mild. There are 2 soil sample sequences from southern BC >3%
different in ITS than EU sequences of this species. I don't know if it fruits
here, but be on the lookout for something in this group that tastes mild.
Unfortunately, to find out, you'll have to endure a lot of discomfort trying a
lot of very, very spicy collections. This species could easily be mistaken for
something in the H. scrobiculatum group.

Hydnellum 'peckii PNW05' © NAMA and the Field Museum of Natural History,
H. 'diabolus PNW06' © Autumn Anglin
Hydnellum mirabile EU -
with a white hairy cap that turns yellow and then dark brown, and exuding a brown
juice when squeezed. One OR and once northern BC collection match many EU
sequences well.
Hydnellum cf geogenium EU
- bright yellow caps, we need local sequences to see if this is really
what is found here. The real EU species is also found on the east coast, but
collections in the Pacific Northwest are more spiky tubular and less
fan-shaped than those in eastern North America, so we need to verify what our
species really is.

Hydnellum mirabile © Leah Bendlin, unsequenced H. cf.
geogenium © Noah Siegel