Group A - Gilled Fungi that are Sessile or have a lateral stem

1. Gill edges notched or toothed, like a saw; cap brownish, densely hairy .........................Lentinellus ursinus

1. Gill edges even

    2. Basidiocarps grayish black, very small (2-6 mm wide), found on undersides of
        logs..................................................................................................................Resupinatus applicatus

    2. Basidiocarps not black, typically larger, more prominently displayed

        3. Fruitbody with gill-like folds either crimped or split lengthwise; folds whitish, gray or pink-tinged

            4. Folds crimped................................................................................................Plicaturopsis crispa

            4. Folds split lengthwise.............................................................................Schizophyllum commune

        3. Fruitbody with true gills present, neither crimped nor split lengthwise

            5. Spore print white, lilac-gray, pink or yellowish

                6. Spore print white or lilac-gray

                    7. Stipe well-developed (up to 15 cm long, 4 cm thick) and densely coated with
                        coarse white hairs, especially toward base............................................. Lentinus levis

                    7. Stipe absent or much smaller (up to 4 cm long), pubescence not as above

                        8. Cap conspicuously hairy or fuzzy

                            9. Fruiting body small (1-3 cm wide); cap whitish, whitish-gray to
                                brownish; cap semi-circular or kidney-shaped; gills brownish
                                to pale cinnamon; bitter taste......................................................... Panellus stipticus        

                            9. Fruiting body larger (2.5-7.5 cm wide); cap pinkish-tan to reddish
                                -brown or tinged violet, tan with age............................................Lentinus strigosus

                       8. Cap smooth to minutely hairy or scaly, not distinctly hairy or fuzzy

                           10. Cap, stem, and gills violet when young but fading to tan with age
                                 (older specimens will not key out) ............................................Lentinus torulosus

                           10. Cap, stem, and gills never violet

                                 11. Cap flesh thin; gills crowded, and narrow (i.e., shallow); fruit
                                       body small to medium (up to 10 cm wide)

                                      12. Cap white; gills white to cream; stalk absent; on conifers,
                                            particularly hemlock ....................................................Pleurocybella porrigens

                                      12. Cap brownish; gills whitish-gray, minutely fringed (use hand lens);
                                            stalk short and stubby; on logs and stumps...................Hohenbuehelia petaloides

                                11. Cap flesh thick; gills nearly distant to close but not crowded,
                                      broad (i.e., deep); caps 5-30 cm wide, white to cream to grayish
                                      or grayish-brown; gills white or grayish-white; on logs, stumps,
                                      and standing trees of mostly hardwoods; often growing in
                                      overlapping clusters.............................................................Pleurotus ostreatus complex

                6. Spore print pink or yellowish

                    13. Spore print pink; cap densely fuzzy, yellowish- orange; gills yellow to orange,
                          odor bad .................................................................................Phyllotopsis nidulans

                    13. Spore print yellowish

                          14. Cap olive-yellow to yellow-brown, surface dry, gills yellowish, forked, often wavy
                                or crimped at least toward base ...................................................Tapinella panuoides

                          14. Cap color a combination of yellow, green, and purple; surface sticky when young,
                                gills yellowish to orangish yellow, not forked or crimped ...............Panellus serotinus

            5. Spore print brown......................................................................................Crepidotus spp.