About Hydnellum fuscoindicum (K.A.Harrison) E.Larss., K.H.Larss. & Kõljalg
Hydnellum fuscoindicum, commonly called the violet hedgehog, is a tooth fungus species belonging to the genus Hydnellum. It was first formally described by Kenneth A. Harrison in 1964, originally classified as a species within the genus Hydnum. In 1967, Rudolph Arnold Maas Geesteranus transferred the species to the genus Sarcodon, placing it in Sarcodon section Violacei alongside H. fuligineoviolaceum and H. joeides. This fungus produces fruit bodies characterized by a violet-black cap, violet-colored flesh, and violet spines growing on the underside of the cap. Both the odor and taste of Hydnellum fuscoindicum are strongly farinaceous, meaning they have the scent and flavor of fresh meal. It is not recommended for consumption, because eating it causes a burning sensation. This species grows in moss surrounding western hemlocks, and its known distribution is limited to the Pacific Northwest.
