# Toothed Jelly Fungus (*pseudohydnum gelatinosum*)

The Toothed Jelly Fungus looks like little jelly blobs with tiny teeth! It's a fun and squishy fungus that grows on decaying wood in the forest.

- **Category:** [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fungi)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger
- **Snaps:** 2
- **Habitat:** It lives in damp forests, often found growing on decaying wood.
- **Also known as:** Jelly Tooth Fungus, Toothed Fungi, Toothed Gelatinous Fungus

![Toothed Jelly Fungus](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Pseudohydnum_gelatinosum.jpg&width=800)

Photo: CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pseudohydnum_gelatinosum.jpg)

## Appearance

The Toothed Jelly Fungus is a translucent, whitish to brownish fungus with a distinctive spatulate or tongue-like shape. Its underside is covered in soft, gelatinous, tooth-like spines that are clear to white, making it look unlike any other forest floor fungus.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Fungi
- **Phylum:** Basidiomycota
- **Class:** Agaricomycetes
- **Order:** Auriculariales
- **Genus:** Pseudohydnum

## Interesting facts

- Even when dried out, a sprinkle of rain can make it squishy again!
- It's sometimes called "Cat's Tongue" because of its bumpy underside!
- Its jelly-like teeth are unique among fungi, feeling soft and bouncy.
- This fungus often grows on dead conifer trees, cleaning up the forest floor.

## Special abilities

- **Squishy Shield:** Toothed Jelly Fungus has a rubbery, gelatinous texture that helps them rehydrate after drying out, allowing them to survive longer.
- **Wood Muncher:** Toothed Jelly Fungus can break down tough conifer wood because of special enzymes that help them recycle nutrients back into the ecosystem.
- **Rain Sponge:** Toothed Jelly Fungus has a spongy structure that helps them soak up many times their weight in water, allowing them to swell after rain.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 1-7 cm
- **Edible:** edible
- **Growth Substrate:** wood
- **Season:** Fall to Spring
- **Spore Color:** White

## Ecological connections

- **Eats:** [White Spruce](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-spruce) (*Picea glauca*) — Decomposes dead wood, returning nutrients to soil.
- **Eats:** [Lodgepole Pine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lodgepole-pine) (*Pinus contorta*) — Breaks down fallen trees, helping to clear the forest.
- **Eats:** [Grand Fir](https://www.snappit.app/explore/grand-fir) (*Abies grandis*) — Feeds on decaying logs, essential for nutrient cycling.

## Traits

- [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
- [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day.

## Collections

- [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fungi)

## Safety

**Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger

No special safety notes yet.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Toothed Jelly Fungus?

Compare the cap shape, the underside, the stem and base, and whether the fungus grows on wood or soil. Some fungi have gills, others pores or teeth. A cap seen only from above often hides the most useful features. Mushroom Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Toothed Jelly Fungus?

1-7 cm

### Is Toothed Jelly Fungus edible?

edible

### Where is Toothed Jelly Fungus usually found?

It lives in damp forests, often found growing on decaying wood.

### What does Toothed Jelly Fungus grow on?

wood

### When is Toothed Jelly Fungus in season?

Fall to Spring

### What color are Toothed Jelly Fungus spores?

White

## Where to spot

- [Sunrise](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sunrise) — Alaska, US · Neighborhood
- [Clatsop State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/clatsop-state-forest) — Oregon, US · Forest
- [Twanoh State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/twanoh-state-park) — Washington, US · State Park

[View all places to see Toothed Jelly Fungus](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/toothed-jelly-fungus)

## More Fungi

- [Field Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/field-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Button Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/button-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Portobello Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/portobello-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Shiitake](https://www.snappit.app/explore/shiitake) (*Lentinula*)

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Source: [Toothed Jelly Fungus: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/toothed-jelly-fungus)