A Foray into Fungi

Fungi is certainly one area of ecology I have extremely limited knowledge on, so it has been interesting to take a guide out of the library and learn more about species and identification. One species I found growing on a tree stump behind the university hospital is Auricularia auricular-judae, or the Wood Ear fungus. 


I found this example of Wood Ear fungus in a small strip of mixed woodland, with nearby tree species including sweet chestnut, hazel and silver birch. Elder was also present, which is what this tree stump is likely to be, as this fungus is found primarily on elder, feeding by saprotrophic nutrition. Wood Ear is found across the world, in temperate deciduous forests. This example is growing gregariously (in groups), although it is often solitary. In the UK, Wood Ear fungus is very common, but less frequently found in the North.

The taxonomy of the Wood Ear

The family Auriculariaceae contains mostly jelly fungi with gelatinous fruiting bodies in ear or bracket-like shapes. In A. auricula-judae the fruiting body is generally 2-8cm across; the example below was around 5cm. These fungi tend to grow on dead or moribund (dying) wood. The gelatinous nature of this mushroom is due to having more flexible hyphae walls, allowing them to expand in the presence of moisture. This also means that in dry conditions the hyphae walls collapse, but they can expand once again if water becomes available, allowing this fungus to survive dry periods and continue to survive and reproduce. 


Wood Ear fungus has been used in many ways historically, including to treat eye and throat problems in folk medicine. This mushroom also has potential uses in modern medicine, as multiple polysaccharides found in this mushroom have been shown to have anti-tumour and anticoagulant properties, and can be used to lower cholesterol. It is also edible; although not popular as a food in the west, Wood Ear fungus is common in Chinese cuisine. 


Having spent time learning about this funky fungus, I will definitely spend some more time looking in the leaf litter to find more 'shrooms!



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auricularia_auricula-judae
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/fungi-and-lichens/jelly-ear/
http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/2011/gaona_ruth/habitat.htm 


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