Cerrena unicolor

Scientific name:   Cerrena unicolor (Bull.:Fr.) Murr.
Derivation of name:   Cerrena is from an Italian fungus
name; unicolor means "of one color."
Synonymy:   Daedalea unicolor Bull.:Fr.
Common names:   Mossy maze polypore. Dr. Don Davis
(personal communication) suggests that mossy maze
polypore is a misnomer since moss is rarely found on the
caps of this fungus. Algae is much more frequent. Perhaps
a better common name for this species is "algae-topped
maze polypore" or something similar.
Phylum:   Basidiomycota
Order:   Polyporales
Family:   Polyporaceae
Occurrence on wood substrate:  Parasitic or saprobic;
forming overlapping clusters most often on deciduous trees,
stumps, and logs; year-round.
Dimensions: Caps are 0.5-10 cm wide.    
Upper surface:  White to grayish or grayish-brown;
densely hairy; zonate; often algae-covered.       
Pore surface: White to smoky; typically becoming maze-
like to tooth-like.
Edibility: Inedible.
Comments:  Cerrena unicolor may be sessile, effused-
reflexed or rarely almost entirely resupinate on horizontal
surfaces.

More information at RogersMushrooms.com   


Figure 1. Overlapping caps of Mossy maze polypore with
algae-covered caps. Photo © Tom Volk.

Figure 2. A young specimen with brownish cap and without
algae.

Figure 3. These herbarium specimens don't look a lot different
from mature living or from dead specimens in the field.


Figure 4. Note the conspicuous pubescence, green algae, and
zonate appearance of this cap.

Figure 5. The pores quickly become maze or tooth-like.