Auricularia auricula-judae

Taxobox
name = "Auricularia auricula-judae"
status = least concern


image_width = 240px
regnum = Fungi
divisio = Basidiomycota
classis = Agaricomycetes
ordo = Auriculariales
familia = Auricularaceae
genus = "Auricularia"
species = "A. auricula-judae"
binomial = "Auricularia auricula-judae"
binomial_authority = (Fr.) J.Schröt.mycomorphbox
name = Auricularia auricula-judae
whichGills = NA
capShape = no
hymeniumType=smooth
stipeCharacter=NA
ecologicalType=saprotrophic
sporePrintColor=white
howEdible=edible

"Auricularia auricula-judae" (syn. "Auricularia auricula", "Hirneola auricula-judae") is commonly known as Judas's ear fungus or Jew's Ear, the name from which it derives the "judae" in its scientific name, or as the jelly ear fungus. This jelly fungus is conspicuously ear shaped, ranging from purple to dark brown or black in color with a rubbery texture, and most often found on dead elder trees but also on elms. It was said that Judas hanged himself on an elder tree, which is the origin of the name. ref label|1728|2|^

This species is used often in Asian cooking. In Chinese, it is called (pinyin: "mù ěr", lit. "wood ear" or "tree ear") or (pinyin: "hēi mù ěr", lit. "black wood ear"), and in Japanese it is called "kikurage" (, lit. "tree-jellyfish"). "Auricularia polytricha" (cloud ear fungus), a closely related species, is also used in Asian cooking.

Snow fungus, another edible fungus which is white in color, is a separate species, "Tremella fuciformis".

References

#Buckzacki, Stefan (1982). "Collins Gem Guide: Mushrooms and Toadstools".

External links

*http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/proceedings1996/V3-464.html#Auricularia%20spp.
* [http://www.micoterapia.it Società di Micoterapia]
* [http://vitalpilze.de/Auricularia+auricularia-judae_15_13.html Medicinal Mushroom Society]
* [http://www.funghi-vitalia.it/index.php?cat=c2_Auricularia.html Funghi Vitalia - Auricularia]

ee also

*Cloud ear fungus
*Snow fungus
*Wood ear