Bellybutton Hedgehog; Sweet Tooth Fungus
Never pass this one up! It ranks with the best of them when it comes to edibility, and has the added virtue of great longevity once picked. Moreover it is highly resistant to insect damage, rarely becoming wormy. It can be found in mixed conifer and hardwood forests, and often under huckleberries in late fall and well into winter in warmer areas. The caps are peach or orange in color, sometimes concentrically zoned, and develop a deep bellybutton as they age. They may be circular or become wavy at the margins. At first inrolled, the margins may flatten out with time. The fertile underside consists of a dense aggregation of creamy spines or teeth up to 0.5 cm long and rather fragile. Stipes are central or off-center, dry, creamy orange and develop brownish stains where handled. They may be up to 10cm tall and 1.5cm across. The spines sometimes run down the stipe a bit. The odor is usually fruity and the taste slightly sweet. That said, there are reports of fruitings with a bitterish taste. In a favorable year, they can be found growing in gregarious abundance, making for fine table fare.