Plate 092 · on a dead branch after rain IdentificationFive marks on the plate
- 1Ear-shaped, attached to the branch at one side.
- 2Smooth glossy lower face, reddish brown, with soft folds.
- 3Hairy upper face, with a velvety greyish sheen.
- 4Dry, hard and blackish; revives with the rain.
- 5On dead wood of broadleaf trees, in damp places.
Easily confused with Jelly earAuricularia fuscosuccineaUpper face almost hairless, paler cinnamon colour. 092 / 100 · FUNGI & LICHENS · AURICULARIACEAENOT EVALUATED Hairy wood ear
Auricularia cornea
Oreja de Judas · Cloud ear
Its jelly ears sprout on dead branches after the summer rains. In dry spells they shrink and turn hard like leather, and the next downpour swells them again. In Asia it is an edible mushroom grown on a large scale.
- Size
- up to 9 cm
- Altitude
- c. 400 – 1,500 m
- Thickness
- c. 2 mm
- Texture
- jelly-like, elastic
- Jelly fungus
- Dead wood
- Revives with rain
- Edible
Altitude rangeHumid forest on the lower slopes
Foothill and lower montane forest Tucumán records cluster in the Sierra de San Javier and the humid ravines of the foothills.
EcologyLives on dead branches
- Dead woodBroadleaf branches · substrate
- RainSwells when wet
- Damp shadeRavines and understorey
- Insects and slugsFeed on the soft flesh
It breaks down dead wood and returns its nutrients to the soil. It needs free water to open up and shed spores.
Life cycleDries out and revives
J F M A M J J A S O N D Fresh earsAppears after scattered rain - Mycelium in the wood. Grows inside fallen branches and logs of broadleaf trees.
- Revives with water. Dry, it becomes a dark hard crust. Wet, it regains its shape and colour within hours.
- Spores from the smooth face. The smooth, glossy lower face makes the spores. The upper face is hairy.
Where to look in Tucumán- Reserva Experimental Horco Molle
- Sierra de San Javier
- Quebrada de Lules
- Parque Provincial La Florida