Auricularia auricula-judae

Auricularia auricula-judae
A young fruit body on fallen wood in England
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Fungi
Division:	Basidiomycota
Class:	Agaricomycetes
Order:	Auriculariales
Family:	Auriculariaceae
Genus:	Auricularia
Species:	A. auricula-judae
Binomial name
Auricularia auricula-judae (Bull.) J.Schröt.
Synonyms[1]
Species synonymy 1753 Tremella auricula L. 1777 Peziza auricula (L.) Lightf. 1788 Merulius auricula (L.) Roth 1789 Tremella auricula-judae Bull. 1791 Peziza auricula-judae (Bull.) Bull. 1801 Tremella auricula-judae var. caraganae Pers. 1812 Tremella caraganae (Pers.) H. Mart. 1821 Gyraria auricularis Gray 1822 Exidia auricula-judae (Bull.) Fr. 1822 Auricularia sambuci Pers. 1860 Hirneola auricula-judae (Bull.) Berk. 1880 Hirneola auricula (L.) P. Karst. 1886 Auricularia auricula-judae var. lactea Quél. 1902 Auricularia auricula (L.) Underw. 1913 Auricularia lactea (Quél.) Bigeard & H. Guill. 1943 Auricularia auricularis (Gray) G.W. Martin 1949 Hirneola auricularis (Gray) Donk 1970 Hirneola auricula-judae var. lactea (Quél.) D.A. Reid

Mycological characteristics
	Smooth hymenium
	No distinct cap
	Hymenium attachment is not applicable
	Lacks a stipe
	Spore print is white
	Ecology is saprotrophic or parasitic
	Edibility is edible

Auricularia auricula-judae, commonly known as wood ear, jelly ear, or more historically, Jew's ear, is a species of fungus in the order Auriculariales. Basidiocarps (fruit bodies) are brown, gelatinous, and have a noticeably ear-like shape. They grow on wood, especially elder. The specific epithet is derived from the belief that Judas Iscariot hanged himself from an elder tree.

The fungus can be found throughout the year in Europe, where it normally grows on wood of broadleaf trees and shrubs. Auricularia auricula-judae was used in folk medicine as recently as the 19th century for complaints including sore throats, sore eyes and jaundice, and as an astringent. It is edible, but not widely consumed.