Hericium Erinaceus: Lion's mane

We've already taught you about the classification of fungi, and now we'll look at the classification of fungi we have at Fungeat. A brief review of classification helps us understand the evolution of the Fungi Kingdom and, therefore, its relationship with other organisms. This time, we'll explore the unique characteristics of the Hericium erinaceus species, known as Lion's Mane.

Kingdom ⇒ Fungi

Edge ⇒ Basidiomycota

Class ⇒ Agaricomycetes

Order ⇒ Russulales

Family ⇒ Hericiaceae

Genus ⇒ Hericium

Epithet ⇒ Erinaceus

Species (Genus + Epithet) ⇒ Hericium Erinaceus

We can anticipate that the three Fungeat mushrooms, Lion's Mane, Shiitake, and Maitake, share the same Kingdom, something we already knew. However, this isn't the only classification, as they also share a Phylum and a Class. The first, the Phylum Basidiomycota, refers to the reproduction of fungi, in this case, the way they expel spores, which are called basidiospores, which are released from the basidium (Parts of the mushroom that you can see in the Blog "Getting to Know a Mushroom"). In simpler terms, their reproduction method is the same. On the other hand, the Class Agaricomycetes includes mushrooms with a "classic" fruiting body that can include a cap or a shelf-like structure, like the Maitake, that is, generally visible and distinctive shapes. Now let's see how the rest of the hierarchy gives Lion's Mane its particular characteristics.

This mushroom belongs to the Russulales order, meaning they can come in a variety of shapes, but it includes mushrooms with brittle blades. These mushrooms grow primarily on wood. On the other hand, the Lion's Mane family, Hericiaceae, means the mushrooms have a branched or coral-like shape. These species generally grow on decaying wood, and the hymenophore (the structure from which spores are released) is shaped like spines or teeth, forming a kind of cluster. Some of these are edible and/or medicinal.

Among the best-known species within the Hericiaceae family are those of the Hericium genus, which is recognized by its spherical fruiting body with white, hanging teeth or spines. This genus is known for its medicinal benefits for brain function and the nervous system. The genus groups species that share morphological and genetic characteristics, thus arriving at the basic classification of fungi, which is the Species, where the Genus is linked with an Epithet. The latter is like a differentiating adjective between species of the same Genus. In this case, it is Erinaceus, which represents the unique shape of the Lion's Mane compared to its peers in the same Genus, which is this cascading shape of the filaments forming a kind of cluster.

This will help you better understand how the classification of fungi becomes more specific as we advance in the hierarchy, and you'll have much more information to help you recognize them, looking in detail at their characteristics and the habitat where you find them. You can complement what you've just learned with the previous posts and those to come about the other fungi we have at Fungeat, and thus understand even more about the vastness of the Fungi Kingdom. We'll see you next time!