Jelly fungi are a paraphyletic group of several heterobasidiomycete fungal orders from different classes of the subphylum Agaricomycotina: Tremellales, Dacrymycetales, Auriculariales and Sebacinales. These fungi are so named because their foliose, 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.
Tremella fuciformis is a species of fungus; it produces white, frond-like, gelatinous basidiocarps. It is widespread, especially in the tropics, where it can be found on the dead branches of broadleaf trees. This fungus is commercially cultivated and is one of the most popular fungi in the cuisine and medicine of China. T. fuciformis is commonly known as snow fungus, snow ear, silver ear fungus, white jelly mushroom, and white cloud ears.
Tremella mesenterica is a common jelly fungus in the family Tremellaceae of the Agaricomycotina. It is most frequently found on both dead but attached and recently fallen branches, especially of angiosperms, as a parasite of wood decay fungi in the genus Peniophora. The gelatinous, orange-yellow fruit body of the fungus, which can grow up to 7.5 cm (3.0 in) diameter, has a convoluted or lobed surface that is greasy or slimy when damp. It grows in crevices in bark, appearing during rainy weather. Within a few days after rain it dries into a thin film or shriveled mass capable of reviving after subsequent rain. This fungus occurs widely in deciduous and mixed forests and is widely distributed in temperate and tropical regions that include Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North and South America. Although considered bland and flavorless, the fungus is edible. Tremella mesenterica produces carbohydrates that are attracting research interest because of their various biological activities.
The Auriculariales are an order of fungi in the class Agaricomycetes. Species within the order were formerly referred to the "heterobasidiomycetes" or "jelly fungi", since many have gelatinous basidiocarps that produce spores on septate basidia. Around 200 species are known worldwide, placed in six or more families, though the status of these families is currently uncertain. All species in the Auriculariales are believed to be saprotrophic, most growing on dead wood. Fruit bodies of several Auricularia species are cultivated for food on a commercial scale, especially in China.
Exidia is a genus of fungi in the family Auriculariaceae. The species are saprotrophic, occurring in attached or recently fallen dead wood, and produce gelatinous basidiocarps. The fruit bodies are diverse, pustular, lobed, button-shaped or cup-shaped. Several species, including the type species Exidia glandulosa, have sterile pegs or pimples on their spore-bearing surface. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution and around 20 species are currently recognized worldwide. Initial molecular research indicates the genus is artificial.
Exidia glandulosa is a jelly fungus in the family Auriculariaceae. It is a common, wood-rotting species in Europe, typically growing on dead attached branches of oak. The fruit bodies are up to 3 cm (1.2 in) wide, shiny, black and blister-like, and grow singly or in clusters. Its occurrence elsewhere is uncertain because of confusion with the related species, Exidia nigricans.
Mycena acicula, commonly known as the orange bonnet, or the coral spring Mycena, is a species of fungus in the family Mycenaceae. It is found in Asia, the Caribbean, North America and Europe. The fruit bodies, or mushrooms, of the fungus grow on dead twigs and other woody debris of forest floors, especially along streams and other wet places. They have small orange-red caps, up to 1 cm (0.4 in) in diameter, held by slender yellowish stems up to 6 cm (2.4 in) long. The gills are pale yellow with a whitish edge. Several other Mycena species look similar, but may be distinguished by differences in size and/or microscopic characteristics. M. acicula is considered inedible because of its small size.
Exidia nigricans is a jelly fungus in the family Auriculariaceae. It is a common, wood-rotting species throughout the northern hemisphere, typically growing on dead attached branches of broadleaf trees. It has been much confused with Exidia glandulosa.
Exidia thuretiana is a jelly fungus in the family Auriculariaceae. The fruit bodies are white and gelatinous with brain-like folds. It is a common, wood-rotting species in Europe, typically growing on dead attached or fallen branches of broadleaf trees, especially beech.
Myxarium nucleatum is a species of fungus in the family Hyaloriaceae. In the UK, it has been given the recommended English name of crystal brain. Basidiocarps are watery white, pustular or lobed, and gelatinous with small, white, mineral inclusions visible to the naked eye. It is a common, wood-rotting species in Europe, typically growing on dead attached or fallen branches of broadleaf trees. It is currently not clear whether collections from North America and elsewhere represent the same species.
Mycena chlorophos is a species of agaric fungus in the family Mycenaceae. First described in 1860, the fungus is found in subtropical Asia, including India, Japan, Taiwan, Polynesia, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka, in Australia, and Brazil. Fruit bodies (mushrooms) have pale brownish-grey sticky caps up to 30 mm (1.2 in) in diameter atop stems 6–30 mm (0.2–1.2 in) long and up to a millimeter thick. The mushrooms are bioluminescent and emit a pale green light. Fruiting occurs in forests on fallen woody debris such as dead twigs, branches, and logs. The fungus can be made to grow and fruit in laboratory conditions, and the growth conditions affecting bioluminescence have been investigated.
Phaeotremella frondosa is a species of fungus in the family Phaeotremellaceae producing brownish, frondose, gelatinous basidiocarps. It is widespread in north temperate regions, and is parasitic on other species of fungi that grow on dead attached and recently fallen branches of broadleaf trees.
Naematelia aurantia is a species of fungus producing yellow, frondose, gelatinous basidiocarps. It is widespread in north temperate regions and is parasitic on another species of fungus that grows on dead attached and recently fallen branches of broadleaf trees. It is commonly called golden ear in North America.
Naematelia encephala is a species of fungus producing pink, brain-like, gelatinous basidiocarps. It is widespread in north temperate regions and is parasitic on another species of fungus that grows on dead attached and recently fallen branches of conifers. In the UK, its recommended English name is conifer brain.
Tremella brasiliensis is a species of fungus in the family Tremellaceae. It produces yellow, lobed to firmly foliaceous, gelatinous basidiocarps and is parasitic on other fungi on dead branches of broad-leaved trees. It was originally described from Brazil.
Tremella globispora is a species of fungus in the family Tremellaceae. It produces hyaline, pustular, gelatinous basidiocarps and is parasitic on pyrenomycetous fungi on dead herbaceous stems and wood. It was originally described from England.
Tremella versicolor is a species of fungus in the family Tremellaceae. It produces small, pustular, gelatinous basidiocarps and is parasitic on the basidiocarps of Peniophora species, a genus of corticioid fungi, on dead attached or recently fallen branches. It was originally described from England.
Tremella mesenterella is a species of fungus in the family Tremellaceae. It produces yellowish to reddish brown, foliose, gelatinous basidiocarps and is parasitic on corticioid fungi on dead branches of broadleaf trees and shrubs. It was originally described from Canada.
Phaeotremella translucens is a species of fungus in the family Phaeotremellaceae. It produces small, pustular, gelatinous basidiocarps and is parasitic on ascocarps of Lophodermium species on decaying pine needles. It was originally described from Scotland.
Exidia crenata is a species of fungus in the family Auriculariaceae. It has the English name of amber jelly roll. Basidiocarps are gelatinous, brown to orange-brown, and turbinate (top-shaped). It typically grows on dead attached twigs and branches of broadleaved trees and is found in North America.
