– Cap matte, finely velvety, white to pale ochre-yellow.
– Cap margin irregular, long inrolled.
– Spines decurrent, conical, fragile, whitish with pink to orange-pink hue.
– Stem white, usually shorter than the width of the cap.
– The entire fruitbody acquires an ochre-yellow hue over time, sometimes with brown-yellow spots in damaged areas.
– Taste mild to slightly bitter.
Hydnoid fungi
Pale Hedgehog
Hydnum albidum
VU
Vulnerable
Edible
7 images
Characteristics
Ecology
Grows with Pinus, Fagus and Quercus on calcareous soil.
Notes
Considered a good edible mushroom in some parts of Europe, including Italy where it is known as "Steccherino bianco."
Similar species
Closely resembles Hydnum repandum, that has a beige to pale pinkish-cream cap and is never entirely white.
