250 
THE PLANT WORLD. 
Hedgehog Fungi. 
These plants are called hedgehog fungi because of the large 
number of awl-, or spine-like processes, which hang down on the 
underside of the cap or of the branches of the plant. , The spores 
are borne on the surface of these spines. Many of these fungi 
are placed in the genus Hydnum. The four described here are 
edible. 
The coral hydnum (Hydnum coralloides). —This grows on 
dead wood, is entirely white, and forms a tuft of branches three 
to four or more inches wide. The branches are slender and the 
spines rather delicate. 
The bear’s head (Hydnum caput-ursi) .—This is similar to the 
coral hydnum but is coarser and the spines are stouter and longer. 
The hedgehog (Hydnum erinaceus). —This is like a large white 
knot on the side of a tree, with stout and long white awl-shaped 
spines on the underside, one to two inches long. Place a por¬ 
tion of the plant on paper over night to see the color of the 
spores. Describe, illustrate, and compare the different species 
which are found. 
The repand or uneven hydnum (Hydnum repandum). —This 
grows in woods on the ground and has a stem and pileus some¬ 
thing like an agaric, but the spines are on the underside of the 
cap Instead of gills. The plant is 4-6 inches high, and the cap 
2-4 inches broad. It is whitish or pale tan. Note the form of 
the cap and how the form varies in different specimens. Is the 
plant fragile or tough? What is the color of the spores? 
Two Early Cup Fungi. 
The cup fungi are so called because the plants are in the form 
of a cup, saucer, or beaker. There are two very early species 
which appear in the latitude of central and southern New York 
from the last of March to the last of April. They are as 
follows: 
The scarlet cup (Sarcoscypha coccinea). —This grows on de¬ 
caying sticks, branches, etc., on the ground. The plant is deep 
cup-shaped and an inch to nearly two inches in diameter. The 
outer surface is pure white and somewhat hairy. The inner sur- 
