Phellodon niger (Fr. ex Fr.) Karst. syn. Hydnum nigrum Fr. Schwarzer Korkstacheling Hydne Ferrugieux, Black Tooth. Fruit bodies mostly fused with one another. Cap 3–7cm across, flat or more frequently centrally depressed, velvety or downy at first then pitted or covered in roughened points, ridged and fibrillose towards the lobed margin, whitish then pale grey with lilaceous tints soon becoming purplish-black or black often with olivaceous tints on ageing, usually concentrically zoned. Stem 10–50 x 5–20mm, often swollen towards the base, rooting or arising from a mycelial pad with a central black woody core and a velvety tomentum which is black at first then grey, grey-brown or olivaceous. Spines 1–3mm long, blue-grey at first finally grey. Spores white, subglobose, spiny, 3.5–4.5 x 2.5–3.5um. Habitat usually coniferous woods. Season autumn. Rare. Edibility unknown. Distribution, America and Europe.