Dyers Mazegill

Dyers Mazegill Phaeolus schweinitzii is a large polypore fungus that lives mainly on dead coniferous trees. This rather fine specimen is to be found in the woods of Haddo House.

The generic name Phaeolus comes from the prefix Phae- meaning dusky or obscure, and olus which modifies the meaning to 'somewhat' - so fungi in this genus are described as 'somewhat dusky' or perhaps darkish. The specific epithet schweinitzii honours American botanist-mycologist Lewis David von Schweinitz (1780-1834), considered by some to be the founding father of North American mycological science.

The common name Dyer's Mazegill comes from its long history of use in dyeing yarn in various shades of yellow, orange and brown, depending on the age of the fruit-body and the type of metal used as a mordant to bind the dye molecules to the fibres of the fabric.