Schizophyllum commune

Sporocarp
Fruiting body a leathery, fan-shaped bracket, 1-3.5 cm broad, frequently lobed or fused at the base with other brackets; upper surface densely hairy, light greyish-brown when moist, ashy grey to white when dry; lower surface light grey consisting of well spaced, longitudinally split gills; stipe usually absent; flesh thin, light grey to brown, tough.

Spores
Spores 3-4 x 1-1.5 µm, cylindrical, smooth; spore print white.

Habitat
Scattered to clustered on hardwood logs and branches; fruiting after the fall rains, but can be found year round.

Edibility
Inedible; too small and leathery to be of culinary value.

Comments
This small, ashy-grey bracket looks like a polypore but the lower, hymenial surface consists of gills, the latter unusual in that they are split longitudinally. The genus name Schizophyllum, literally means "split leaves" referring to this character. Fruiting bodies are persistent, shriveling in dry weather, but reviving after rains.