[ID] Jew's Ear fungus?

Jason Green · #1 (**permalink**) 15-01-2010, 01:34 PM

Afternoon all

Not sure of this one... Jelly-ear, Jew's-ear, somebodies' ear!

15/01/10

Top and Side-shot...
...about 10x11mm

It was on a tree-sapling I think, below an Ash tree. Significant?

Thanks for looking

Take care,

Jason

clare · #2 (**permalink**) 15-01-2010, 01:48 PM

Yes, that's a Jew's or Judas Ear fungus. Quite common and widely distributed. I often come across them when out clearing scrub. They vary in shape, size an colour. I've seen dark purple and dark brown ones as well as this lighter colour.

Jason Green · #3 (**permalink**) 15-01-2010, 02:36 PM

Thanks Clare! Oh, and welcome to WAB

Funny, at 1 centimetre I always thought they were bigger than that - though I suppose they vary, don't they? Given the cinfusion of these vernacular names, is the JE a specific species, or a general term covering one or more individuals?

Ditiola · #4 (**permalink**) 15-01-2010, 02:49 PM

Big things grow from small things!

Jelly Ear like all fungi have to start off small

Peter

diggleken · #5 (**permalink**) 15-01-2010, 05:00 PM

Dont start that off again Jason!
Auricularia auricula-judae is the latin name for jews-ear, now more often called jelly ear.
Although its normally brown, it can have some other tints, but beware of purply things like neobulgaria and ascocoryne spp.
Cheers
Ken

fairplay · #6 (**permalink**) 15-01-2010, 07:00 PM

You took the words right out of my mouth Ken.

This is too young to be absolutely certain of it being Jelly Ear, but the colour is normal, the substrate seems to be Elder - its usual host, and they often start off like this, BUT at this stage I would keep an open mind.

Neil.

Jason Green · #7 (**permalink**) 15-01-2010, 07:49 PM

Thanks Ken and Neil!

Quote:

Originally Posted by diggleken

Dont start that off again Jason!

I plead not guilty!

Um... what's the issue? I haven't been around the fungi forum much...

fairplay · #8 (**permalink**) 15-01-2010, 08:02 PM

I think Ken was really referring (light-heartedly) to the issue of using scientific or common names, but you were using 2 different common names 'just' after a so-called 'standard' list of recommended English names has been published.

Neil.