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Splitgill Schizophyllum commune
inedible
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It smells unremarkable, and its spore print is white. Auriculariopsis ampla is cup-shaped and has no gills.
View on the mapIdentification in 5 steps
Auriculariopsis ampla is a small, cup-shaped or ear-shaped bark dweller with a felty, hairy upper side. It is woody and inedible.
SeasonApril to November
Spore printwhite
FamilyAuriculariaceae
- Cap. The fruiting bodies are 1 to 4 cm wide, cup-shaped or shell-shaped, felty and hairy on the outside and grey to brown.
- Underside. The inner side is smooth, pale and without gills.
- Stem, ring and volva. There is no stem; the fruiting body sits directly on the bark.
- Smell and taste. It smells unremarkable and tastes woody.
- Flesh and colour change. The flesh is thin, leathery to woody.
Lookalikes
It is woody and inedible and grows on tree bark.
Oyster mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus
edible
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It is much larger, has unsplit gills and a smooth cap skin.
View on the mapSide by side
| Auriculariopsis ampla | Splitgill | Oyster mushroom | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cap | 1 to 4 cm wide, cup- or shell-shaped, felty hairy outside | 1 to 4 cm, fan-shaped, white-grey, densely hairy | 5 to 20 cm, shell- to tongue-shaped, grey to blue-grey |
| Underside | smooth, pale, no gills | gills grey to pinkish grey, split lengthways | gills white to grey-white, far decurrent |
| Stem | none, sits directly on the bark | absent, attached sideways | short, lateral, often absent |
| Flesh | thin, leathery to woody | tough, leathery | white, firm, does not change colour |
| Edibility | Inedible | inedible | edible |
Habitat & Season
On bark and dead wood. From the lowlands to the hills.
Host trees
Mainly poplars, also other deciduous trees.
Season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
possible good main season
On the bark of living or dead trees.
Mushroom regions with a daily forecast
There are no records per region for this species yet. The country pages lead to all regions with a daily forecast.
Safety
Never eat a mushroom you have not identified with certainty. Not an edible mushroom: do not collect it for the kitchen.
Advice for your country
Ireland
Poison centre:
National Poisons Information Centre (public line)(01) 809 2166
Emergency: 112 · 999
Germany
Poison centre:
Emergency: 112
Mushroom advice: DGfM: find a mushroom expert. Certified mushroom experts of the German Mycological Society (DGfM).
Collecting rules: Mushrooms that are not specially protected may be collected in small quantities for personal use unless a protected area or ban applies. Certain specially protected edible species (e.g. cep, chanterelle, birch bolete) may be collected in small quantities for personal use.
Austria
Poison centre:
Vergiftungsinformationszentrale (VIZ)01 406 43 43
Emergency: 112 · 144
Mushroom advice: Austrian Mycological Society (ÖMG): mushroom advice. Mushroom advice by the Austrian Mycological Society or regional services such as municipal market offices.
Collecting rules: At most 2 kg of mushrooms per person per day unless the forest owner has prohibited collecting; organised collecting events are prohibited. Additional state rules apply (collecting hours, closed seasons), e.g. Carinthia, Tyrol, Vorarlberg, Salzburg.
Why it is not edible
Woody and indigestible.
Leave it on the bark; take it only for identification.
Frequently asked questions
Is Auriculariopsis ampla edible?
No, Auriculariopsis ampla is not edible. It is woody and indigestible and grows on tree bark.
When and where does Auriculariopsis ampla grow?
Auriculariopsis ampla grows from April to November on the bark of living or dead trees, mainly on poplars, but also on other deciduous trees.
Which look-alikes can Auriculariopsis ampla be mistaken for?
It can be mistaken for the splitgill and the oyster mushroom. The splitgill smells unremarkable and has a white spore print, but its gills are split lengthways, whereas Auriculariopsis ampla is cup-shaped and has no gills. The oyster mushroom is much larger, has unsplit gills and a smooth cap skin.
How do you recognise Auriculariopsis ampla?
The spore print is white. The fruiting bodies are 1 to 4 cm wide, cup-shaped or shell-shaped, felty and hairy on the outside and grey to brown.
Related species
- Wood ear Auricularia auricula-judae
- Turkey tail Trametes versicolor
- Bitter bolete Tylopilus felleus
- False chanterelle Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca
- Splitgill Schizophyllum commune
- Tinder fungus Fomes fomentarius
Sources
Photo credits
- Photo: Emilio López Barchino · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Splitgill: Photo: Doug Bowman from DeKalb IL, USA · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Oyster mushroom: Photo: Hamilton (Mushroom Observer) · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
No substitute for having your finds checked in person. No guarantee of accuracy. Updated: 17.10.2026.