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A coworker who knows this stuff confirmed it is neither slime mold nor lichen but could not identify the type of fungus. He also added "Good Lord! It's magnificent!"
 
I did a bit of research back in July to identify this

Species of Hericium have a confusing naming history. I think both yours and mine are H. Americanum, formerly known as H. coralloides.

Best guide I've found is:
Mushroom Expert: Hericium
(click on species names for photos and more detailed descriptions)
 
Would you all say this is the same thing?


A bit water-logged at this point, growing on the side of a tree on the way up Mt. Mansfield via the Long Trail from Smuggler's Notch.

Tim
 
I've never heard of americanum being called bear's head tooth. What I learned, and in most books, it is coral hedgehog fungus.

Tim, your fungus looks more like bearded hedgehog, aka Hericium erinaceus.

All edible to boot.
 
The 1981 Audubon Field Guide to Mushrooms of N. America, and a Simon & Schuster guide both call it bear's head tooth.

A 2006 Falcon Guide (Miller & Miller) says that H. americanum is different from H. coralloides (aka H. ramosum), which has spines along the branches.
H. americanum spines are only at the tips of the branches.

Not to be outdone, the Peterson Field guide says coralloides and ramosum are two different species.

The only person I would ever trust picking mushrooms was my Lithuanian grandmother.
 
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