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.

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 prized for use in soup and vegetable dishes.

List of jellies

Ascocoryne sarcoides - jelly drops, purple jellydisc
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

Translation of "Jelly fungus"

Catalan: Heterobasidiomicet, Spanish: Heterobasidiomycetes, Japanese: 異型担子菌綱, Chinese: 异担子菌亚纲.