Common Mazegill

Common Mazegill Datronia mollis (Sommerf.) Donk syn. Trametes mollis (Sommerf.) Fr. (illustrated 50% life size) Fruit body generally consisting of long, narrow, shelf-like, undulating brackets, 1–7cm×0.5–2.5cm across, 0.2–0.6cm thick, often in tiers; umber-brown on the upper surface when fresh, becoming darker brown to almost black; tough, leathery, the upper surface velvety when fresh, later smooth. Flesh pale brownish. Tubes 0.5–5mm long. Pores 1–2 per mm, angular, irregularly elongated or slot-like; greyish, due to a whitish bloom that disappears on handling, leaving the pore-surface yellowish-brown or umber. Spores 8–10×2.5–3.5¼, subcylindrical. Hyphal structure dimitic. Habitat on dead deciduous wood; all year. Common. Not edible.