orange peel fungus?

[jessdundee]

I am a complete novice when it comes to fungi- from looking around it looks very much like orange peel fungus but everywhere says it grows in bare clay or disturbed soil while this was growing out of wood. Please note it had been snowing and was thawing- I dont think it usually looks that wet!

[Chris Yeates]

welcome to WAB

your misgivings about this being orange-peel fungus Aleuria aurantiaca are well founded

OPF is an ascomycete fungus and you have a basidiomycete there, a fundamental difference; of course the differences are microscopic, but they do reflect on the form of the fungus at the macroscopic level

what you have there is a 'jelly fungus' - almost certainly the yellow brain fungus Tremella mesenterica http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/yellow-brain-fungus ; Tremella species grow on other fungus species, although that is not always obvious; there is a possibility that your fungus is Tremella aurantia a close relative, which grows on the common Stereum hirsutum http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/tremella-aurantia , but I don't think this is it

the orange peel fungus is rather fragile and easily broken, whereas what you have there will be jelly-like and stretchable

you mention it being wet - after a period of dry weather it would virtually disappear (a feature of these 'jelly fungi'); you are correct in saying that OPF is a terrestrial species, and you will also find that it won't be appearing this early in the year - look for it in late summer and autumn

hope this helps

best wishes

Chris

[jessdundee]

Thanks very much for the answer Chris and in particular the explanation why it's one and not the other. You learn something new every day!