Gloeophyllum sepiarium (Wulfen) P. Karst. - Conifer Mazegill

Phylum: Basidiomycota - Class: Agaricomycetes - Order: Gloeophyllales - Family: Gloeophyllaceae

Distribution - Taxonomic History - Etymology - Identification - Reference Sources

Look out for these rather variable and sometimes very beautiful bracket fungi - often bright orange when young and fresh but turning brown from the centre and sometimes almost black later - on the stumps and felled trunks of conifers, most particularly Picea (Spruce species).

Gloeophyllum sepiarium is referred to as a 'mazegill' fungus. This is because the elongated gill-like pores are more or less radially-aligned in a randomly fused pattern that resembles a maze.

The form of this fairly common bracket fungus is variable. Sometimes - particularly when on the sawn ends of fallen trunks and large branches - the fruitbodies look very much like narrowish shelves. Occasionally, when growing on the tops of stumps, they take on a circular form like shallow spinning tops.

Distribution

Common and widespread in Britain and Ireland and found throughout most of mainland Europe, this wood-rotting fungus occurs also in North America and in many other temperate regions.

Taxonomic history

In 1786 the Austrian mycologist Franz Xaver von Wulfen (1728 - 1805) called the Conifer Mazegill Agaricus sepiarius; its current name comes from Finnish mycologist Petter Karsten's 1882 publication.

Gloeophyllum sepiarum is the type species of the genus Gloeophyllum. This small genus, with just nine recorded species was established by the Finnish mycologist Petter Adolf Karsten in 1882.

Synonyms of Gloeophyllum sepiarium include Agaricus sepiarius Wulfen, Daedalea sepiaria (Wulfen) Fr., Lenzites sepiarius (Wulfen) Fr.,(L.) P. Karst., and Merulius sepiarius (Wulfen) Schrank.

Etymology

The genus prefix Gloeo- comes from Greek and means of glutinous or gum-like form, while -phyllum means having leaves or leaf-like structures - a reference to the soft texture of the gill-like (leaf like) pores of fruitbodies, especially evident when they are young and fresh. The specific epithet sepiarium means dark, sepia coloured.

Identification guide

	Cap Most often seen in overlapping tiers on dead conifer stumps, fallen trunks and large branches, the caps of this cork-like bracket fungus grow to between 2 and 8 cm (exceptionally to 12 cm) across. The brackets are usually fan shaped and up to 1 cm thick but occasionally to 2 cm at the centre of the attachment region. The growing upper (infertile) edge is paler, often yellow, inside which there are concentric zones of varying shades of orange and brown. The upper surface is rough and sometimes coarsely hairy at the centre.
	Pores The pore surface is varius shades of rusty ochre or orange, dependent on the age of the fruitbody - usually darkening with age. Tubes The tubes are in the form of large slots up to 1cm deep and 2mm wide; they are interconnected to form a maze-like structure with the slots generally aligned radially. The pale ocraceous walls of the maze vary in thickness from one specimen to another but are typically of width similar to that of the slots.
	Spores Cylindrical to slightly allantoid, smooth, 8-12 x 3-4.5 µm. Spore print White.
Odour/taste	No distinctive smell. A mild taste (but a leathery texture that would deter all but the most ardent of mushroom muncher!).
Habitat & Ecological role	Gloeophyllum sepiarium is saprobic and occurs on standing and fallen dead conifer wood. It causes brown rot.
Season	Conifer Mazegills are mainly annual brackets, but they rot slowly and can be seen all year round. They shed spores in late summer and autumn.
Similar species	Daedaleopsis confragosa, the Blushing Bracket, has smaller pore openings many of which are in the form of closed slots. Lenzites betulinus is similar, with thinr cream 'gills'; it occurs mainly on birch trees.

Reference Sources

Fascinated by Fungi, 2nd Edition, Pat O'Reilly 2016, reprinted by Coch-y-bonddu Books in 2022.

BMS List of English Names for Fungi

Dictionary of the Fungi; Paul M. Kirk, Paul F. Cannon, David W. Minter and J. A. Stalpers; CABI, 2008

Taxonomic history and synonym information on these pages is drawn from many sources but in particular from the British Mycological Society's GB Checklist of Fungi.

Top of page...