Lentinus lepideus (Fr. ex Fr.) Fr. The Train Wrecker. Cap 5-12cm across, convex to nearly flat, with an incurved margin that becomes straight in age; whitish to buff with cinnamon-brown scales; shiny, dry and scaly. Gills adnexed, close, broad, with toothed edges; whitish to buff bruising brownish. Stem 30-100 x 10-15mm, solid, either narrow at the base or bulbous; white, to reddish brown in age; minutely hairy above ring, scaly below; partial veil forms membranous whitish ring on the upper stalk. Flesh white, aging or bruising dirty yellowish. Odor fragrant, like anise. Taste rather disagreeable. Spores almost cylindrical, smooth, nonamyloid, 9-12 x 4-5µ. Deposit white. Habitat growing singly, scattered, or in clusters on logs, stumps, fence posts, railroad ties, decaying coniferous wood, and occasionally hardwoods. Common. Found in Europe and widely distributed throughout much of North America. Season May-September (later in California). Edible-good. Comment The stem of this mushroom is extremely tough and woody. Even larger forms of this mushroom can be found in the Southwest; I found a specimen 28cm across in northern Arizona