Auricularia auricula-judae

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Auricularia auricula-judae

Conservation status
least concern
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Basidiomycota
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Auriculariales
Family: Auricularaceae
Genus: Auricularia
Species: A. auricula-judae
Binomial name
Auricularia auricula-judae
(Fr.) J.Schröt.
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Auricularia auricula-judae
mycological characteristics:
 
smooth hymenium
 

no distinct cap

 

hymenium attachment is not applicable

 

lacks a stipe

 

spore print is white

 

ecology is saprotrophic

 

edibility: edible

Auricularia auricula-judae (syn. Auricularia auricula, Hirneola auricula-judae) is commonly known as Judas's ear fungus or Jew's Ear, the name from which it derives the "judae" in its scientific name, or as the jelly ear fungus. This jelly fungus is conspicuously ear shaped, ranging from purple to dark brown or black in color with a rubbery texture, and most often found on dead elder trees but also on elms. It was said that Judas hanged himself on an elder tree, which is the origin of the name. [2]

This species is used often in Asian cooking. In Chinese, it is called 木耳 (pinyin: mù ěr, lit. "wood ear" or "tree ear") or 黑木耳 (pinyin: hēi mù ěr, lit. "black wood ear"), and in Japanese it is called kikurage (キクラゲ, lit. "tree-jellyfish"). Auricularia polytricha (cloud ear fungus), a closely related species, is also used in Asian cooking.

Snow fungus, another edible fungus which is white in color, is a separate species, Tremella fuciformis.

[edit] References

  1. Buckzacki, Stefan (1982). Collins Gem Guide: Mushrooms and Toadstools.

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