Bulgaria inquinans is a fungus in the family Phacidiaceae. It is commonly known by the names poor man's licorice,[1]black bulgar and black jelly drops.[2][3]
It grows on dead trees including oak, hornbeam, and ash, in Europe and North America.
Description
The cap is generally between 0.5 and 4 centimetres (1⁄4 and 1+1⁄2in) wide and 1cm tall. It has a dark top with a brown outer surface when young, later becoming more cupped with the black top widening over much of the exterior surface.[3][4] The texture of the mushroom is similar to leather or elastic, depending on dry weather (elastic like), or wet weather (leather).[3]
The mushrooms generally grow in medium-sized clusters on the branches and bark of dead trees, generally oak[1] and hornbeam, but also ash trees due to ash dieback disease. It can be commonly found on felled trees stored in timber yards.[citation needed] It grows across mainland Europe and in the British Isles. It also grows in parts of the United States,[3] where it can be found from November to March on the West Coast and from May to October further east.[4]
Uses
Research into the colouring materials found in the fungus by H.Lockett and R.Edwards at Bradford University gave name to three purple pigments as two bulgarhodins and bulgarein.[6]
↑ Sterry, Paul; Hughes, Barry (2009). D & N Publishing (ed.). Collins Complete Guide to British Mushrooms & Toadstools. London: HarperCollins. p.306. ISBN978-0-00-723224-6.
↑ Edwards RL, Lockett HJ. (1976). "Constituents of the Higher Fungi. Part XVI. Bulgarhodin and bulgarein, novel benzofluoranthenequinones from the fungus Bulgaria inquinans". Journal of the Chemical Society, Perkin Transactions 1: 2149–55. doi:10.1039/p19760002149.
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