18 October 2005 Berkshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. Common Name Hen of the Woods Fruiting Body Rosette shaped with a central stem, and multiple lobes, upper surface smooth to finely felty, brown, underside whitish, pores 2-4 per mm, to about 50 cm across Flesh White, firm, fibrous Smell Mouse urine Taste Pleasant, becoming acrid with age Season Autumn Distribution Frequent in southern England, rare further north Habitat At the base of deciduous trees, especially oak and beech Spore Print White Microscopic Features Spores ovoid to ellipsoidal, smooth (5.5-6.5) x (3.5-4.5) µm2. Cystidia absent. Basidia clavate, 4-spored. Hyphal system dimitic, generative hyphae septate, clamped, skeletal hyphae aseptate. Edibility Edible 
18 October 2005 Berkshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. 
10 October 2016 Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. |