Neolentinus lepideus, also known as the Train Wrecker mushroom, is a whitish medium to large-sized mushroom with a scaly cap on a slender stem. The mushroom grows solitary or clustered on dead, often treated, conifer wood. It can also be found growing on old railroad ties, causing them to decompose, from which it has gotten its common name.

Cap whitish cream or yellowish, decorated with brown scales concentrically arranged. At first, it is convex, becoming flattened or depressed. The margin is regular, remaining incurved. The flesh is very tough and unchanging when sliced. Gills broadly attached to the stem or beginning to run down it (decurrent), close, with short gills frequent. They are white, and the edges are serrated. Stem more or less equal, dry, and scaly, with white, recurved scales that become reddish brown or darker toward the base. It has an ephemeral, easily lost ring, is whitish, and very tough. Spore print white.

Microscopic Features: Spores are cylindrical in shape and the dimensions are 8–12.5 by 3.5–5 μm.

Neolentinus lepideus on the www.first-nature.com web site.
Neolentinus lepideus on the MushroomExpert.Com Web site.