Fauna
Fungus

Oak Mazegill

Daedalea quercina

Also known as Thick-walled Maze Polypore, Maze-gill Fungus, Oak-loving Maze Polypore

Oak mazegills form extremely tough, corky bracket fruiting bodies on oak wood and old stumps. Their undersides feature a distinctive maze-like network of slot-like pores rather than typical gills or round pores. These perennial brackets can endure for years, slowly decomposing heartwood into a crumbling brown rot.

PolyporeWood-decayBracket Fungus
Oak Mazegill reference
Dominicus Johannes Bergsma / 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 & preyOak Wood Cellulose, Lignin
Predators
  • Fungus-eating Beetles
  • Fungus Gnats
ThreatsDeforestation, removal of deadwood habitat
HabitatsDeciduous woodlands, parklands, oak forests
Life spanPerennial (brackets survive for several years)
Classification
  1. FamilyFomitopsidaceae
  2. SpeciesDaedalea quercina
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
  • Observation: Examine the maze-like labyrinth underneath the bracket for distinct pore geometry.
  • Identification: Look for thick, corky brackets growing specifically on oak stumps or logs.
  • Historical Fact: Note its historic use as a natural comb for grooming horses and livestock.
Related species
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