Mazegill?

[KeenTeen17]

Is this a maze gill?

Heres the bottom.

Thanks.

[Chris Yeates]

sure is KT

now one for you

why do you think it has the scientific name Daedalea quercina?

Chris

[KeenTeen17]

Is it because it grows on willow? as in Daedaleopsis confragosa on willow?

[NickCantle]

Quercina Willow?

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by KeenTeen17

Is it because it grows on willow? as in Daedaleopsis confragosa on willow?

actually, it's the other way round Daedaleopsis means 'it looks like Daedalea'

Daedalea refers to Daedalus in the Greek myths; he was forced to build the Labyrinth on Crete (a huge maze - geddit?) - within which the dreaded half-man / half-bull monster the Minotaur lived; Daedalus and his son Icarus escaped from Crete by making wings out of feathers and wax; Icarus flew too close to the sun - the wax melted and he plunged to his death in the sea . . .

'quercina' doesn't mean willow - it refers to Quercus, oak upon which this bracket usually occurs (it also occurs on Castanea sweet chestnut, which is very closely related to oak and shares a lot of its fungi)

so . . . you see the Latin names are not dry and boring - they often have a story behind them (occasionally even a joke!)

Chris

[KeenTeen17]

I'll never look at Blushing Bracket and Mazegill the same again. I'll be reminded of Theseus and the Minotaur

[kiltoncomp]

Originally Posted by Chris Yeates

'quercina' doesn't mean willow - it refers to Quercus, oak upon which this bracket usually occurs (it also occurs on Castanea sweet chestnut, which is very closely related to oak and shares a lot of its fungi)
Chris

Hi Chris, Castenea is one of the few trees i never seem to find fungi on(or near), and there are quite a few around Clumber and sherwood forest areas,

or am i not looking close enough

Brian.

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by kiltoncomp

Hi Chris, Castenea is one of the few trees i never seem to find fungi on(or near), and there are quite a few around Clumber and sherwood forest areas,

or am i not looking close enough

Brian.

It's interesting you say that, Brian, I tend to find the same (though the BMSFRD associates list has pages of stuff!); I've always suspected that it's because round here you tend to find isolated, rather immature trees; the micro-fungi of fallen leaves are very similar to those found on oak

every year I optimistically examine the fallen spiny fruit-cases for this lovely fellow:

Nahuby.sk - Obrázok galérie - Ter?ovka ?ia?ková (Lanzia echinophila)

(Rutstroemia echinophila in older works), but all I ever find is Botrytis cinerea ; in line with the point I was making though, its interesting to see that some of those subsidiary photos to the right of the main one look to be on acorn cups (Quercus cerris or something similar) I had always assumed it to be restricted to Castanea . . .

Chris

[kiltoncomp]

Originally Posted by Chris Yeates

It's interesting you say that, Brian, I tend to find the same (though the BMSFRD associates list has pages of stuff!); I've always suspected that it's because round here you tend to find isolated, rather immature trees; the micro-fungi of fallen leaves are very similar to those found on oak

every year I optimistically examine the fallen spiny fruit-cases for this lovely fellow:

Nahuby.sk - Obrázok galérie - Ter?ovka ?ia?ková (Lanzia echinophila)

(Rutstroemia echinophila in older works), but all I ever find is Botrytis cinerea ; in line with the point I was making though, its interesting to see that some of those subsidiary photos to the right of the main one look to be on acorn cups (Quercus cerris or something similar) I had always assumed it to be restricted to Castanea . . .

Chris

there are lots of very mature Castanea here , in fact i had a look around some today in Clumber, and while there was quite a bit of stuff on fallen branches of other species, there was nothing at all on the Castaneas,
(which might explain why they make chestnut paling fencing- it seems to last forever!)
i get the same with Sycamores too,(unless you count Rhytisma, in which case you cant fail) apart from the odd Xylaria longipes,

Brian.

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by kiltoncomp

i get the same with Sycamores too,(unless you count Rhytisma, in which case you cant fail) apart from the odd Xylaria longipes,

Brian.

hi Brian

I suppose it depends on what your interests are; I am very interested in micro-fungi and on that level sycamores can be very rewarding; but - a bit like lime, ash and horse chestnut - they don't seem to form mycorrhizas and so can be very disappointing for larger species; also their leaves tend to create a very unpromising environment to work in

you've set me a challenge I shall attempt to maintain a 'fungi on sycamore' thread throughout the next few months and see what I can come up with! (though they are not my favourite tree: I personally love alders and alder carr . . . )

cheers

Chris