Is this Jew's ear?

[Lucyc]

I was on a walk yesterday, and I came across an unknown fungus. I didn't think I'd have any hope of identifying it, but I came across a picture of Jew's ear and it looks quite similar. Here is the picture I took:

I'm not sure if that's an elder on the floor, but there are loads of elders around that area, which seems to make it more likey.
Thanks in advance, Lucy

 

[JonnyP]

Looks like it, but I am no expert....

 

[Bernie Garland]

down that low i couldn't say, looks like it but, i harvest it higher up will take some pics and post what i harvest.

cheers bernie

 

[Burnt Ash]

I was on a walk yesterday, and I came across an unknown fungus. I didn't think I'd have any hope of identifying it, but I came across a picture of Jew's ear and it looks quite similar. Here is the picture I took:

I'm not sure if that's an elder on the floor, but there are loads of elders around that area, which seems to make it more likey.
Thanks in advance, Lucy

I was watching a repeat of one of the Wild Gourmet TV series a few days ago. I may have been mistaken, but I'm sure I heard one of the presenters referring to this as a 'monkey's ear' fungus. I thought, at the time, that this was a sop to political correctness.

Jew's ear is, I understand, a corruption of Judas's ear. The fungus (Auricularia auricula-judae) often grows on elders, supposedly the tree that Judas Iscariot hanged himself from in remorse for his betrayal of Christ.

Burnt Ash

 

[Bernie Garland]

your right burntash with the history, it was named after judas and its plentyfull round here on elder

bernie

 

[Toadflax]

I've never seen it quite a 'thick' as this. In my (fairly limited) experience, it is a much thinner 'shell' run through with what look a bit like veins, and the 'shell' tends to be a little bit see-through, e.g http://www.uksafari.com/jewsear.htm...

...but don't take my word for it. Check as many sources as you can in fungus identification.


Geoff

 

[Stoker37]

It looks too thick and curved downwards to be jew's ear. The specimens I've seen are usually further above ground level and more often than not on elder. I'm sure someone on here will put us right.

 

[xylaria]

I was watching a repeat of one of the Wild Gourmet TV series a few days ago. I may have been mistaken, but I'm sure I heard one of the presenters referring to this as a 'monkey's ear' fungus. I thought, at the time, that this was a sop to political correctness.

Jew's ear is, I understand, a corruption of Judas's ear. The fungus (Auricularia auricula-judae) often grows on elders, supposedly the tree that Judas Iscariot hanged himself from in remorse for his betrayal of Christ.

Burnt Ash

AAHHHHGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH

WILD GORMETS

THAT STUPID BINT:AR15firin

nobody calls it monkey ears and it is not a rare find, I Hate Hate Hate misinformtion because it gets repeated in other places, and that program was packed with it.

The photo is not very clear but it looks like ear fungus to me. Toddy's name of jelly ears is quite discriptive. In drier weather they feel like babies ear all soft and bendy with down on, in wet wether they have jelly in them when you pull them apart.

for look-a likes there is disciotis venosa and peziza spp, but the feel of these is a good deal more brittle.

Plaese check your ID with these other details, as the photo is unclear.

 

[Lucyc]

Hmm, I saw some more on an elder higher up, I'll take another picture tomorrow which is clearer..Thanks though so far!

 

[Dean]

I dont think it's Jew's Ear, as it is to low down and as other people have said it is normally found on Elder. Untill you work out what it is I would not harvest it. Having seen and eaten Jew's Ear, I'd say it does not have the crinkley'ness that Jew's Ear has.

If you don't know what it is, don't eat it!