94 BRITISH EDIBLE FUNGI. 



esculents. It is a little remarkable that we have no 

 knowledge of a single species of the fleshy kind 

 which has the reputation of being poisonous. 



Finally, there are three species which grow upon 

 trees, which have all been found, at one time or other, 

 in this country, but their appearances are almost 

 historical events, so that they have come to be 

 regarded as great rarities, too valuable for con- 

 sumption. 



The cauliflower spiny cap {^Hydnum coralloidcs) has 

 somewhat the appearance of a cauliflower when young, 

 forming a large dense mass, with a very much 

 branched stem, and the ultimate branches thin, bearing 

 on one side only, so that no caps are produced. 

 Looked upon as it grows it appears only as a mass of 

 spines. 



Another is the "tree hedgehog" {Hydmiiii^erinaceuin) 

 which forms a tough fleshy mass, six or eight inches 

 long, and half as broad. The outer surface is covered 

 with very long, drooping spines. It is not unlike a 

 hedgehog in size and form, but white at first, and 

 afterwards yellowish, and has been found generally on 

 oak or beech trunks. 



The third species, " Medusa's head " {Hydjium 

 caput viediisoe), has somewhat the form of the last and 

 is at first snowy white, becoming greyish. The spines 

 are also very long and slender. However, it is 

 unnecessary to give any lengthened description of 

 these rarities, since it is hardly probable that they 



