shingled hedgehog

The brownish or buff cap measures up to 15 centimetres (6 in) in diameter and is covered with coarse darker brown scales, becoming darker and upturned with age. It is funnel-shaped. The underside bears soft, pale grey 'teeth' rather than gills. These are 0.5–1.5 cm (1⁄4–5⁄8 in) long, grayish brown (darkening with age), and brittle. The pale grey or brown stipe may reach 10 cm (4 in) high and 4 cm (1+1⁄2 in) wide, may be narrower at the base, and is sometimes eccentric. The soft flesh is whitish to tan. The spores are brown.

Similar species. From above, it may be confused with Strobilomyces strobilaceus as both have a similar shaggy cap. The bitter and inedible Sarcodon amarascens can be distinguished by its bluish-black stripe. The bitter Hydnellum scabrosum (formerly placed in Sarcodon) has a turquoise-tinted base.

The species is distributed throughout Europe and North America, but collections from the British Isles are now assigned to S. squamosus. In Europe, S. imbricatus fruits from August to October. In North America, it fruits from July to September except on the West Coast, where it appears from September to December. The species can appear on sandy or chalk soils in fairy rings. It grows in association with firs (Abies), especially in hilly or mountainous areas.

Some sources (in the United States) report that the fungus is edible but of poor quality; some others consider it edible and delicious. It may cause gastrointestinal upset. The mushrooms can be bitter, especially older specimens. This can be mitigated by submerging them in boiling water. Some suspect that bitter specimens may actually be related species. The mushroom can be pickled or dried and used as flavouring. In Bulgaria, it is collected, dried and finely ground to be used as an aromatic mushroom flour. In Korea, mushroom tea is made from it. The distinctive spicy aroma of fried younger specimens has made it an expensive delicacy in Japan.