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Hericium coralloidesPhoto: Patrick RuchBack to the BAP list |
DescriptionGeneral: Large pure white fruit body, forked branches arising like coral from a basal trunk; solitary, on standing and felled trunks; favouring veteran specimens of Abies (silver fir).Dimensions: 5-20cm deep x 5-20cm dia. Fruit Body: White, cushion-like, masses of forked branches coral-like ending in irregular clustered fine spines, fertile hymenium covering the spines; flesh: concolorous, soft to somewhat tough. |
Spores: Hyaline, smooth or finely warty, sub-spherical, thick-walled, some with droplets, 6.0-7.0 x 4.5-5.5 µm . Basidia 4 spored; cystidia absent. Odour: Not distinctive. Taste: Not distinctive. Chemical Tests: None. Occurrence: Summer to Autumn. |
| Qualifying criterion: 4.1: closely associated with veteran trees which represent a severely declining habitat |
| Justification: the species has been used as an indicator of dead beech habitat quality (ENRR 597); the rarest of the 3 Hericium species |
| Threats: tidying and removal of felled trunks and branches resulting in loss of habitat |
| Action Required: Survey and monitoring; protection against habitat loss and degradation; site liaison and management. |
Statistics:UK (excluding NI & CI) fungus records
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Total records: 146 |
| Earliest recording: 1813 | |
| Latest recording: 2008 | |
| Vice Counties and (frequency): 1(1) 11(47); 13(10); 16(5); 18(13); 16(5); 18(3); 20(3); 21(1); 22(3); 23(1); 24(12); 25(9); 26(1); 28(1); 29(5); 38(2); 39(1); 56(3); 62(2); 63(1); 64(1); 69(1) | |
| Pre-1960: 39 records | |
| NBN Gateway grid map | Post-1960: 107 records |