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Auricularia auricula-judae

 

Auricularia auricula-judae, the Jew's Ear Fungus, is mainly seen in winter and spring. It grows on dead elder trees and on fallen branches. This fungus is sometimes used in cookery.

Size

Lobes grow to between 3 and 10 cm across.

Description

The outer surface of the lobed fruit body 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 this fungus, it is in fact edible when cooked - and very popular in some eastern countries.

Spores

White.

Odour/taste

Not distinctive.

Habitat

On dead and decaying elder wood; also on the branches of elder trees that are dying, and sometimes on the trunks of living elders. It is rare but not unknown to find this fungus on other kinds of broad-leaf trees.

Season

Throughout the year but most prevalent in late summer and autumn.

Occurrence

Frequent and widespread.

Similar species

  1. Auricularia mesenterica, commonly known as Tripe Fungus or Grey brain Fungus, is smaller, greyish-brown and forms bracket-like tiers on dead broad-leaf timber. It is more 'hairy' and much paler than Jew's ear Fungus.

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