Jelly ear fungus

Description:

The outer surface of the lobed fruitbody is tan-brown with a purple tinge and covered in a fine greyish velvety down. The inner surface is smooth. If you are not put off by the strange appearance and sombre colour of the jelly ear fungus, it is in fact edible when cooked and very popular in some eastern countries. Individual lobes of Auricularia auricula-judae grow to between 3 and 10 cm across.

Habitat:

Auricularia auricula-judae is saprobic. It can be found on dead and decaying elder wood also on the branches of elder trees that are dying, and sometimes as a weak parasite on the trunks of living elders. It is rare but not unknown to find this fungus on other kinds of broadleaf trees including sycamore, beech and ash. In Australia this fungus grows also on eucalyptus trees and fallen branches.

Notes:

Spotted in Balloërveld in rural area of Balloo, Holland. (sources:see reference)