Sparassis crispa
Sparassis crispa is a species of fungus in the family Sparassidaceae. It is sometimes called cauliflower fungus, or cauliflower mushroom.Description
S. crispa grows in an entangled globe that is up to in diameter, with larger specimens weighing or more. The lobes, which carry the spore-bearing surface, are flat and wavy, resembling lasagna pasta, coloured white to creamy yellow. When young they are tough and rubbery but later they become soft. They are monomitic. The odour is pleasant and the taste of the flesh mild.
The spore print is cream, the smooth oval spores measuring 5–7 μm by 3.5–5 μm. The flesh contains clamp connections.Similar species
The less well-known S. brevipes, found in Europe, can be distinguished by its less crinkled, zoned folds and lack of clamp connections. In the North American Pacific Northwest, a lookalike species S. radicata can be found from August to November. S. spathulata may replace the species in eastern North America.Distribution and habitat
This species is fairly common in Great Britain and temperate Europe, from July to November. It is a brown rot fungus, found growing parasitically at the base of conifer trunks, often pines but also spruce, cedar, larch and others.Uses
It is considered a good edible fungus when young and fresh but is difficult to clean. One French cookbook, which gives four recipes for this species, says that grubs and pine needles can get caught up in holes in the jumbled mass of flesh. The Sparassis should be blanched in boiling water for 2–3 minutes before being added to the rest of the dish. It should be cooked slowly. It can also be preserved in oil or cold water or by drying. Stored specimens may attract maggots.