Common Split Gill

Schizophyllum commune

Description:

Common Split Gill (Schizophyllum commune) 3/7/2012 Tiny shelflike bracket mushroom found in abandoned house's back yard. Funny story I actually was climbing down an overgrown bank/ hill and it was rather steep. I was trying to keep my balance but when I saw this specimen I tried to put my backpack down so I could take a picture but I ended up falling down into the dead trees and overgrown bamboo/ ferns below. Rather painful but I was able to make fun of myself substantially. Felt like an idiot... Common Split Gill (493) Schizophyllum commune "Stalkless, fan-shaped, white hairy cap with white to pinkish gill-like folds split on edges." Spore print was white, as well as the description. "fan- to shell-shaped when laterally attached to wood, vase- to saucer- shaped when centrally attached; white to gray, dry, densely hairy" DENSELY HAIRY... check. Fits the description flawlessly... Something interesting about the fungus? "The common split gill... survives loss of moisture by curling back the outer sides of it's folds and rolling the cap margin inward. It revives in wet weather." It can be seen doing that in the third picture down there. Fascinating really. The specimen I encountered was a small, younger version of the ones in the pictures. However I'm 100% certain that I found the correct ID. It's lookalike is Plicaturopsis crispa and I even looked into it but it's not the same as my specimen.