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Schizophyllum commune
It is considered the world's most widely distributed mushroom, occurring on every continent except Antarctica, where there are no trees. The cap is small, up to 3 cm, and it is shell- or fan-shaped, The surface is hairy and velvety with a greyish white colour, sometimes zoned in ochre colours. The gills are radial and soft pinkish when young getting darker, almost brown, when aged. When drying the gills retract longitudinally in a characteristic way. The taste is soft and the flesh has a tough texture.
It is common in rotting wood at any time of the year
It is considered inedible in Europe and US but it is widely consumed in Mexico and Central America. This fungus has also been known to cause a human mycosis in just a few cases involving immunoincompetent people, especially children. In one case, the fungus had grown through the soft palate of a child's mouth and was actually forming fruiting bodies (mushrooms) in her sinuses.
Spotted on Jan 20, 2012
Submitted on Jan 25, 2012
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