Fauna
Fungus

Plicaturopsis crispa

Plicaturopsis crispa

Also known as Crispling, Crumpled Gill

Crimped gill fruit bodies emerge in crowded, overlapping tiers along fallen branches and rotting hardwood logs, displaying small, fan-shaped caps with distinctive wavy, crinkled folds on their undersides rather than true gills. These leathery, pale ochre to reddish-brown brackets persist through cold weather, releasing spores during damp autumn and winter conditions. Functioning as effective saprotrophs, they break down complex plant polymers to enrich forest soil while providing microhabitats for overwintering invertebrates.

SaprotrophicWoodlandWinter Fungus
Plicaturopsis crispa reference
FungiFriendly / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyDecaying hardwood, Lignin, Cellulose
Predators
  • Fungus gnat larvae
  • Mycophagous beetles
  • Slugs
ThreatsIntensive forestry and deadwood removal
HabitatsTemperate deciduous and mixed woodlands
Life spanFruiting bodies persist several months; mycelium survives multiple years
Classification
  1. OrderAmylocorticiales
  2. FamilyAmylocorticiaceae
  3. GenusPlicaturopsis
  4. SpeciesPlicaturopsis crispa
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Many wild mushrooms have toxic look-alikes; never eat wild fungi based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
  • Check Undersides: Use a hand lens to view the wavy, wrinkled folds instead of straight gills.
  • Winter Spotting: Search dead hazel, beech, and alder branches during damp winter thaws.
Related species
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