It's still spring, and fungi are supposed to be few and far between... but of course if you know where to look there are plenty about. The wood rotters start work early, and already plenty of sulphur polypores and dryad's saddle fungi are fruiting on damaged or diseased tree trunks. One of the most spectacular of all the bracket fungi is the maze-gill fungus, Daedalea quercina.Labyrinthine, gill-like pores give this bracket fungus its generic scientific name. In Greek mythology, Daedalus constructed a labyrinth at Knossos for King Minos of Crete, and in that labyrinth lived the Minotaur - half-man, half-bull. That may be just a load of bull, of course, but even so this amazing perennial fungus realy does have remarkably maze-like elongated pores.
Oak stumps and large fallen branches are the staple diet of the maze-gill fungus, although you may occasionally find it tucking in to a dead sweet chestnut tree. Don't even think of biting it back: this tough polypore is a poor cullinary substitute for old boots.
Lenzites betulina is similar in appearance, with thinner cream 'gills'; it occurs mainly on birch trees. We haven't seen an of these in recent years... have you?
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