Lion's maneHericium erinaceus

There is no true cap. The fruiting body is a solid, rounded, cushion-like mass 5 to 25, occasionally up to 40 centimeters across, attached to the trunk by a short base. From the underside and front, numerous dense, soft spines 1 to 5 centimeters long or longer hang down like a beard or mane. The color is pure white when young, cream or yellowish with age, and brownish when old. The white "beard" of long spines makes this mushroom unlike anything else.

The hymenophore consists of long, hanging spines, on whose surface the spores form. There are no gills or tubes. The spore print is white. Long, soft spines gathered into a single beard (rather than on branches, as in coral tooth) are the key diagnostic feature of the species.

There is no distinct stem; the fruiting body is attached to the wood by a short lateral base. The whole mass is fairly dense and springy when young, becoming brittle with age, and the spines turn fragile. Because it grows high on trunks, the mushroom is often noticed only from below, as a white fluffy cushion on an old tree.

The flesh is white, tender and springy-fibrous, and doesn't change color when cut. The taste is pleasant and delicate, and the texture is reminiscent of crab or lobster meat, which is why chefs especially prize this mushroom. With age, as the fruiting body turns yellow, the flesh becomes bitter and tough, so only young white specimens are chosen for the table.

The smell is faint, pleasant and mushroomy, with no sharp notes. Aroma is not a defining feature; the mushroom is recognized by its unique white cushion with a long beard of hanging spines and by its growth on the trunks of old broadleaf trees.