There's a fungus among us

[Bill Johnson]

I have been reading a lot about how fungi and trees interact, and how this interaction is a benefit to the environment.
This guy, a Jelly Ear, just seems to have the job of cleaning up decaying matter and maybe showing an arborist that the tree should be inspected for rot.
Feels like Jello!

 

[Beth Gallagher]

Interesting; that picture almost looks like a slug or something similar instead of a fungus. I'm sure I have seen them in the woods.

"Auricularia auricula-judae, commonly known as wood ear, jelly ear or historically as Jew's ear, is a species of fungus in the order Auriculariales. Basidiocarps are brown, gelatinous, and have a noticeably ear-like shape. They grow on wood, especially elder."

I read that some are edible and also have medicinal uses. Maybe our experts @Yvonne Smith and @Mary Stetler know something about them.

 

[Mary Robi]

A mushroom tried to crash a party but was turned away at the door.

"Sorry, you just don't look like you'd enliven the gathering", said the party host.

"Why not?" queried the mushroom, "I'm a fungi."