H YDNUM AURISCALPIUM. 
Fir Hydnum. 
HYDNUM L.in. Gen, PL Crtptogamia Fungi. 
Fungus horizontalis fubtus echinatus. 
Rail. Syn. Gen, i. Fungi. 
HYDNUM aurifcalpium ftipitatum, pileo dimidiato. Lin. Syjl. Vegetab. p. 822. Spec. Plant, p. 1648. FL 
Suecic. HOD. Lappon 524. 
ECHINUS petiolo gracili laterali, pileolo plano obfcuro. Haller Htji, n. 2321. 
ERINACEUS parvus hirfutus exfulvo fufcus, pileo femiorbiculari, pediculo tenuiore. Mkh. Gen. 1 32 
t. 72. f, 8. * J • 
FUNGUS erinaceus parvus in conis abietis nafcens. Buxb. Cent, 1. 1. 57. f. i. 
FUNGUS erinaceus parvus pediculo longiore aurifcalpium referens buxei coloris. Buxb. hall. 129. t. 829. 
ERINACEUS minimus aurifcalpium referens. Ceis. Ups, 20. 
FUN GUS erinaceus efculentus parvus, pediculo longiore, aurifcalpium referens, buxei coloris, in ftrobilis 
pini eveniens, Kram, tent. 146. 
Hudfon. Fl. Angi, ed, 2. p, 62%. 
Lightfoot FL Scot. 
R^es Flem, of Bot. app, t. 3. 
Scheeffcr. Fung. tab. 1 43. 
Ex ftrobllis feu ramulis emortuis pini nafcitur hic 
Fungus. 
STIPES pollicaris feu bipollicaris, inferne Incraflatui^, 
fublanuginofus, fuperne ad apicem fenfim 
attenuatus, pilis numerofis brevibus, rigidulis, 
horizontalibus fcabriufculis. 
PILEUS magnitudine unguis indicis, plerumque di- 
midiatus, rotundato-reniformis, horizontalis, 
fuperne planiufculus, fafciis luteis et fufcis 
in orbem difpofitis notatus, hirfutus, demum 
nigricans, inferne canefcens, echinatus, i. 
Echini plurimi, conferti, acuminati, fimplices. 
ig- 2 . 
From the decayed cones or fmall branches of the fir 
fprings this Fungus. 
STALK from one to three inches in height, thicken’d 
at bottom and fomewhat wooly, from thence 
to the top gradually tapering and befet with 
numerous, fhort, horizontal, and fomewhat 
rigid hairs, which give it a manifeft rough- 
nefs. 
HEAD or cap the fize of the forefinger nail, in ge- 
neral halved, of roundilh kidney-fhape, 
horizontal, on the upper fide flattifh, marked 
with yellow and brown ftripes circularly dif- 
difpofed, hirfute, finally becoming black, un- 
derneath of a greyifh colour, and prickly, 
fig. I. Prickles numerous growing thickly 
together, fimple, and running out to a point. 
M- 2 . 
SOME of the more antient Botanifts have given to this fpecies of Hydnum the name of aurifcalpium or ear- 
picker, from its refemblance to the mflrument ufed for that purpofe, but it fhould be obferved that it is only when 
young or fmall that it bears this refemblance. ^ 
Its habkat is on the half decayed branches, and cones of the Fir Tree, efpecially the latter, moft probably it is 
not attached to any particular fpecies, the Cones on which I found it were of the Pirns JyheJlrk. ^ 
In the time of Mr. Ray, it was not known to be a native of Great Britain, of late years it has been found 
by feveral mqmfitiye Botanifts iii various parts of the Kingdom, as in Scotland hy Mr. Lightuoot near Norwich 
by Mr. Rose, and in a fmall pine wood oppofite to, and by the road only leparated from Lord Mansejeld’s 
Houle near Hampftead by Mr. Dixon, and from which wood the fpecimens here reprefented were taken. 
The fifth ofOaober 1780, I found a great number of them in the faid wood in the greateft perfeaion they 
grew m the moift part of the wood out of the cones buried under the dead leaves. ’ ^ 
In its ufe it does not appear to be very important, at lead immediately to us, Keamer applies to it the epithet 
ct efculenlus, but of all the Fungi this is the leaft proper for eating, as it is not only Imall in quantitv but 
biting to the tafte, and tough as leather. ^ ^ 
To the Student it affords a very good example of the Genus Hydnum. 
