''Sarcodon'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

fungi 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 ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

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 ...

, which is part of the

order Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of d ...

Thelephorales known for its almost universal ectomycorrhizal life style. The genus owes its name to the presence of teeth-like spines on the

hymenophore A hymenophore refers to the hymenium-bearing structure of a fungal fruiting body. Hymenophores can be smooth surfaces, lamellae, folds, tubes, or teeth. The term was coined by Robert Hooke Robert Hooke FRS (; 18 July 16353 March 1703) was ...

, it is derived from ancient Greek; ''sarco'' = flesh and ''odon'' = tooth. This is why they are commonly called "tooth fungi", or "

Hydnoid fungi The hydnoid fungi are a group of fungi in the Basidiomycota with basidiocarps (fruit bodies) producing spores on pendant, tooth-like or spine-like projections. They are colloquially called tooth fungi. Originally such fungi were referred to the g ...

". Several species of the ''Sarcodon'' genus, including ''

Sarcodon imbricatus ''Sarcodon imbricatus'', commonly known as the shingled hedgehog or scaly hedgehog, is a species of tooth fungus in the order Thelephorales. The mushroom is edible. Many sources report it has a bitter taste, but others have found it delicious ...

'' (see figure), are edible. The fungus can be bitter, but that is less apparent in younger specimens. In China, it is a popular edible mushroom and it is used for lowering of cholesterol level, muscles relaxation and blood circulation. Isolates from the genus, called Scabronines, may increase

nerve growth factor Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a neurotrophic factor and neuropeptide primarily involved in the regulation of growth, maintenance, proliferation, and survival of certain target neurons. It is perhaps the prototypical growth factor, in that it was on ...

synthesis ''in vitro''.

Traits

''Sarcodon'' species have yellow to brown tinted basidiospores, with lengths in the range of 7.4-9 µm. The basidiomata is often soft and fleshy.

Species

, Index Fungorum listed 49 valid species of ''Sarcodon''. However, in 2019 Larsson ''et al.'' transferred 12 species into the genus ''

Hydnellum ''Hydnellum'' is a genus of tooth fungi in the family Bankeraceae (order Thelephorales). Widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere, the genus contains around 40 species. The fruitbodies of its members grow by slowly enveloping nearby bits o ...

''. * '' Sarcodon aglaosoma'' * ''

Sarcodon atroviridis ''Sarcodon atroviridis'' is a species of fungus in the family Bankeraceae found in North America and Asia. It was originally described in 1895 as ''Hydnum atroviride'' by Andrew Price Morgan. Howard James Banker transferred it to ''Sarcodon'' i ...

'' * ''

Sarcodon bubalinus ''Sarcodon bubalinus'' is a European species of tooth fungus in the family Bankeraceae. First described by Christian Hendrik Persoon in 1825 as ''Hydnum bubalinum'', it was transferred to the genus ''Sarcodon'' by Rudolph Arnold Maas Geesteranus ...

'' * '' Sarcodon caliginosus'' * ''

Sarcodon calvatus ''Sarcodon calvatus'' is a species of tooth fungus in the family Bankeraceae. It was described as new to science in 1964 by mycologist Kenneth A. Harrison, who initially called it ''Hydnum calvatum''. He transferred it to the genus ''Sarcodon ...

'' * ''

Sarcodon carbonarius ''Sarcodon'' is a genus of fungi in the family (biology), family Bankeraceae, which is part of the order (biology), order Thelephorales known for its almost universal ectomycorrhizal life style. The genus owes its name to the presence of teeth-l ...

'' * '' Sarcodon catalaunicus'' * ''

Sarcodon conchyliatus ''Sarcodon conchyliatus'' is a species of tooth fungus in the family Bankeraceae. Found in Malaysia, it was described as new to science in 1971 by Dutch mycologist Rudolph Arnold Maas Geesteranus. The fruit bodies have finely tomentose caps that ...

'' * ''

Sarcodon cyanellus ''Sarcodon cyanellus'' is a species of tooth fungus in the family Bankeraceae. Found in the Pacific Northwest region of North America, where it associates with Pinaceae, it was described as new to science in 1964 by mycologist Kenneth A. Harriso ...

'' * ''

Sarcodon cyrneus ''Sarcodon cyrneus'' is a species of tooth fungus in the family Bankeraceae. Found in Europe, it was described as new to science in 1975 by Dutch mycologist Rudolph Arnold Maas Geesteranus. The specific epithet ''cyrneus'' is derived from the La ...

'' * ''

Sarcodon dissimulans ''Sarcodon dissimulans'' is a species of tooth fungus in the family Bankeraceae. Found in Nova Scotia, Canada, it was described as new to science in 1984 by mycologist Kenneth A. Harrison. It is characterized as having an "extremely nauseating" ...

'' * ''

Sarcodon excentricus ''Sarcodon excentricus'' is a species of tooth fungus in the family Bankeraceae. The fungus was originally described in 1951 by William Chambers Coker and Alma Holland Beers. The type collection was made by Lexemuel Ray Hesler in Cades Cove, T ...

'' * '' Sarcodon harrisonii'' * '' Sarcodon humilis'' * '' Sarcodon ianthinus'' * '' Sarcodon illudens'' * ''

'' * '' Sarcodon lanuginosus'' * ''

Sarcodon leucopus ''Sarcodon leucopus'' is a species of tooth fungus in the family Bankeraceae. Found in Asia and Europe, it was described as new to science in 1825 by Christian Hendrik Persoon. Mycologists Rudolph Arnold Maas Geesteranus and John Axel Nannfeldt ...

'' * '' Sarcodon pakaraimensis'' * '' Sarcodon portoricensis'' * '' Sarcodon praestans'' * '' Sarcodon procerus'' * '' Sarcodon quercophilus'' * '' Sarcodon quietus'' * '' Sarcodon regalis'' * '' Sarcodon rimosus'' * '' Sarcodon roseolus'' * '' Sarcodon rutilus'' * '' Sarcodon scabripes'' * ''

Sarcodon squamosus ''Sarcodon squamosus'' is a species of fungus in the genus ''Sarcodon''. It is an edible mushroom that was previously regarded as a subspecies of ''Sarcodon imbricatus''. For many years, ''S. imbricatus'' was described associated with both spruc ...

'' * '' Sarcodon stereosarcinon'' * '' Sarcodon subfelleus'' * '' Sarcodon thwaitesii'' * '' Sarcodon umbilicatus'' * '' Sarcodon ussuriensis'' * '' Sarcodon ustalis'' * '' Sarcodon wrightii''

References

Thelephorales genera {{Agaricomycetes-stub