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Auricularia auricula-judae
From Wikipedia - Auricularia auricula-judae, known as the Jew's Ear, Jelly Ear or by a number of other common names, is a species of edible Auriculariales mushroom found worldwide. Distinguished by its noticeably ear-like shape and brown colouration, it grows upon wood, especially elder. Its specific name is derived from the belief that Judas Iscariot hanged himself from an elder tree; the common name "Judas's Ear" eventually became "Jew's Ear", while today "Jelly Ear" or other names are sometimes used. The mushroom can be found throughout the year in temperate regions worldwide, where it grows upon both dead and living wood. Although it is not regarded as a choice edible mushroom in the west, it has long been popular in China, to the extent that Australia exported large volumes of the mushroom to China in the early twentieth century. While not widely consumed in the west, A. auricula-judae was used in folk medicine as recently as the 19th century, for complaints including sore throats, sore eyes and jaundice, and as an astringent. Today, the mushroom is still used for medicinal purposes in China, where soups featuring it are used as a remedy for colds; it is also used in Ghana, as a blood tonic. Modern research into possible medical applications have variously concluded that A. auricula-judae has antitumour, hypoglycemic, anticoagulant and cholesterol-lowering properties.
I found this while hiking near Cub Run in Fairfax, Virginia
Spotted on May 21, 2011
Submitted on May 21, 2011
6 Comments
moved to fungi category
Thank you Gina and Ashish for your suggestions. I agree that it looks like Jew's Ear/Jelly Ear when I compared my photo to those online. It is a very interesting species! Laurie
May be Jew ear also, I have checked images.
I am very familiar with with the variety of Pleurotus mushrooms(oysters) non of them looks like one.
On the other hand, Auricularia auricula-judae, It is distinctively shaped, typically being reminiscent of a floppy ear, though the fruit bodies can also be cup-shaped. It is normally attached to the substrate by the back surface of the cup, though there can also be a rudimentary stem. The species has a tough, gelatinous, elastic texture when fresh, but it dries hard and brittle. The outer surface is a bright reddish-tan-brown with a purplish hint, often covered in tiny, downy hairs of a grey colour, It can be smooth, as is typical of younger specimens, or undulating with folds and wrinkles. The colour becomes darker with age. The inner surface is a lighter grey-brown in colour and smooth. It is sometimes wrinkled, again with folds and wrinkles, and may have "veins", making it appear even more ear-like.
Deffinately Oyster mushroom growing on woods.
I think it is called Jew,s Ear/Auricularia auricula-judae
Auricularia auricula-judae, known as the Jew's Ear, Jelly Ear or by a number of other common names, is a species of edible Auriculariales mushroom found worldwide. Distinguished by its noticeably ear-like shape and brown colouration, it grows upon wood, especially elder. Its specific name is derived from the belief that Judas Iscariot hanged himself from an elder tree; the common name "Judas's Ear" eventually became "Jew's Ear", while today "Jelly Ear" or other names are sometimes used. The mushroom can be found throughout the year in temperate regions worldwide, where it grows upon both dead and living wood.