Day 43: Geocache aside, my best find from yesterday's exploits was Schizophyllum commune. Arguably the "world's most common fungus," I had never observed this species until a few years ago when a friend found it on her property and invited me over to identify it. Yesterday's discovery was only the second location in which I've seen it in full fruit. These specimens were a little rain-worn and not as pinkish as they would have been otherwise.
Known also as "split-gill fungus," this species' common name reflects a characteristic unusual in fungi. If you look closely, you can see that some of the ribs are split lengthwise. These "gills" open in response to wet conditions, releasing basidiospores when conditions are optimal for propagation. They close again during dry periods. New Split-Gills erupt only in the autumn; older specimens will dry out during the summer months and then rehydrate when the rainy season begins. Dry, they will resemble small grey polypores (shelf fungi), but examination of the underside with a hand lens will reveal their true identity.
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