Jelly fungus

The class Heterobasidiomycetes or jelly fungi is a paraphyletic group of several fungal orders: Tremellales, Auriculariales, Dacrymycetales. These fungi are so named because their foliose to irregularly branched fruiting body is, or appears to be, the consistency of jelly. Actually, many are somewhat rubbery and gelatinous. When dried, jelly fungi become hard and shriveled; when exposed to water, they return to their original form.

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A number of the jelly fungi can be eaten raw; poisonous jelly fungi are rare. However, many species are not of a texture or taste that one would want to consume. They may or may not be sought in mushroom hunting due to their taste, which is described as similar to that of soil. However, some species, Tremella fuciformis for example, are not only edible but highly prized for use in soup and vegetable dishes.

List of jellies

• Auricularia auricula-judae - wood ear, Judas' ear, Jew's Ear
• Auricularia polytricha - cloud ear
• Calocera cornea
• Calocera viscosa - yellow tuning fork, yellow stagshorn fungus
• Dacrymyces palmatus - orange jelly
• Dacryopinax spathularia
• Exidia glandulosa - black jelly roll, witches' butter
• Guepiniopsis alpinus - golden jelly cone
• Phlogiotis helvelloides - apricot jelly
• Pseudohydnum gelatinosum - jelly tooth, jelly tongue
• Tremella foliacea - jelly leaf
• Tremella fuciformis - snow fungus
• Tremella mesenterica - witches' butter, yellow brain fungus
• Tremellodendron pallidium - jellied false coral

• AmericanMushrooms.com: Jelly Fungi
• Tree of Life Project: Hymenomycetes
• Jelly Fungi from Deacon, J: "Fungal Biology", Blackwell Publishing, 2005