''Hydnellum peckii'' is a
fungus
A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from th ...
in the genus ''
Hydnellum'' of the family
Bankeraceae
The ''Bankeraceae'' are a family of fungi in the order Thelephorales. Taxa are terrestrial, and ectomycorrhizal with plant species in families such as Pinaceae or Fagaceae. The family was circumscribed by Marinus Anton Donk in 1961. According ...
. It is a
hydnoid species, producing
spore
In biology, a spore is a unit of sexual or asexual reproduction that may be adapted for dispersal and for survival, often for extended periods of time, in unfavourable conditions. Spores form part of the life cycles of many plants, algae, f ...
s on the surface of vertical spines or tooth-like projections that hang from the undersurface of the
fruit bodies
The sporocarp (also known as fruiting body, fruit body or fruitbody) of fungi is a multicellular structure on which spore-producing structures, such as basidia or asci, are borne. The fruitbody is part of the sexual phase of a fungal life cyc ...
. It is found in North America, Europe, and was recently discovered in Iran (2008) and Korea (2010). ''Hydnellum peckii'' is a
mycorrhizal
A mycorrhiza (from Greek μύκης ', "fungus", and ῥίζα ', "root"; pl. mycorrhizae, mycorrhiza or mycorrhizas) is a symbiotic association between a fungus and a plant. The term mycorrhiza refers to the role of the fungus in the plan ...
species, and forms
mutually beneficial relationships with a variety of
coniferous
Conifers are a group of cone-bearing seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division contains a single extant class, Pinopsida. All extant ...
trees, growing on the ground singly, scattered, or in fused masses.
The fruit bodies typically have a funnel-shaped
cap
A cap is a flat headgear, usually with a visor. Caps have crowns that fit very close to the head. They made their first appearance as early as 3200 BC. Caps typically have a visor, or no brim at all. They are popular in casual and informal se ...
with a white edge, although the shape can be highly variable. Young, moist fruit bodies can "bleed" bright red
guttation
Guttation is the exudation of drops of xylem sap on the tips or edges of leaves of some vascular plants, such as grasses, and a number of fungi, which are not plants but were previously categorized as such and studied as part of botany. Guttation ...
droplets that contain a
pigment
A pigment is a colored material that is completely or nearly insoluble in water. In contrast, dyes are typically soluble, at least at some stage in their use. Generally dyes are often organic compounds whereas pigments are often inorganic compo ...
known to have
anticoagulant
Anticoagulants, commonly known as blood thinners, are chemical substances that prevent or reduce coagulation of blood, prolonging the clotting time. Some of them occur naturally in blood-eating animals such as leeches and mosquitoes, where the ...
properties similar to
heparin
Heparin, also known as unfractionated heparin (UFH), is a medication and naturally occurring glycosaminoglycan. Since heparins depend on the activity of antithrombin, they are considered anticoagulants. Specifically it is also used in the treatm ...
. The unusual appearance of the young fruit bodies has earned the species several descriptive
common name
In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often contrast ...
s, including strawberries and cream, the bleeding Hydnellum, the bleeding tooth fungus, the red-juice tooth, and the Devil's tooth. Although ''Hydnellum peckii'' fruit bodies are readily identifiable when young, they become brown and nondescript when they age.
Taxonomy, phylogeny, and naming
The species was first
described scientifically by American mycologist
Howard James Banker Howard James Banker (April 19, 1866 – November 13, 1940) was an American mycology, mycologist. He received his PhD from Columbia University in 1908. Banker was an associate editor of the journal ''Mycologia'' starting from its establishment in 190 ...
in 1913.
[ Italian ]Pier Andrea Saccardo
Pier Andrea Saccardo (23 April 1845 in Treviso, Treviso – 12 February 1920 in Padua) was an Italian botanist and mycologist.
Life
Saccardo studied at the Lyceum in Venice, and then at the Technical Institute of the University of Padua wher ...
placed the species in the genus ''Hydnum
''Hydnum'' is a genus of fungi in the family Hydnaceae. They are notable for their unusual spore-bearing structures of teeth rather than gills. The best known are the edible species ''Hydnum repandum'' and '' H. rufescens''. There are no known t ...
'' in 1925,[ while ]Walter Henry Snell
Walter Henry "Doc" Snell (May 19, 1889 – July 23, 1980) was a pinch-hitter/catcher in Major League Baseball who played briefly for the Boston Red Sox during the season. Following this brief baseball career he became a successful mycologist ...
and Esther Amelia Dick placed it in ''Calodon'' in 1956;[ ''Hydnum peckii'' (Banker) Sacc. and ''Calodon peckii'' Snell & E.A. Dick are ]synonyms
A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language. For example, in the English language, the words ''begin'', ''start'', ''commence'', and ''initiate'' are all ...
of ''Hydnellum peckii''.flesh
Flesh is any aggregation of soft tissues of an organism. Various multicellular organisms have soft tissues that may be called "flesh". In mammals, including humans, ''flesh'' encompasses muscle
Skeletal muscles (commonly referred to as mu ...
that is marked with concentric lines that form alternating pale and darker zones (