splitgill mushroom (Schizophyllum commune) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

The splitgill mushroom is easy to recognize by the lengthwise split edges of the gill-like folds under its small fan-shaped cap. It grows on dead hardwood branches and breaks wood down as it feeds.

Appearance

Appearance: The cap is 0.25–1.5 in (0.6–3.8 cm) wide, whitish to grayish, fan-shaped, hairy, and leathery. Underneath are pale gill-like folds split lengthwise toward the edge.

Look-alikes

violet-toothed polyporeTrichaptum biforme

Its underside begins with purplish pores that tear into teeth. Splitgill has radiating gill-like folds whose edges are split lengthwise, not a pore surface.

Why they get mixed upBoth form thin, overlapping, hairy brackets on dead hardwood.

purplepore bracketTrichaptum abietinum

Purplepore bracket grows mostly on conifers and has a purplish pore-to-toothed underside. Splitgill has lengthwise split folds and commonly occurs on hardwood in the United States.

Why they get mixed upBoth are small, tough, grayish shelf fungi.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: dead hardwood branches
fallen logs
cut wood
Range: It occurs worldwide, including in the United States.
Preferred conditions: It often grows in overlapping groups on dead or dying wood and can shrivel in dry weather and revive when wet.
When it’s recorded: Recorded year-round, every year
Active Jan–Dec
24,519 observations in the US · 10 years · for referenceChoose a state

Behavior

Activity: The folds curl in dry weather and open again when moisture returns, helping protect the spore-bearing surface. It also digests wood in dead or living branches.

Life cycle

Reproduction: The split folds produce . A grows through wood and later forms each visible .

Cautions

Cautions: It is not recommended as food.

Conservation

IUCN Red List: NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed

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