Dried jelly

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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. The species was given the name Auricularia auricula-judae in 1888 by Joseph Schröter. Latin word meaning ear, and Judae, meaning of Judas. The species was long thought to be somewhat variable in colour, habitat, and microscopic features but cosmopolitan in distribution, though Lowy considered it a temperate species and doubted that it occurred in the tropics. It is from the belief Judas Iscariot hanged himself on an elder tree that both the specific epithet auricula-judae and the common name Jew’s ear originate.

The mistranslation “Jew’s Ear” appeared in English by 1544. The fungus is associated with Judas Iscariot because of the belief that he hanged himself on an elder tree after his betrayal of Jesus Christ. While the term “Jew’s meat” was a deprecatory term used for all fungi in the Middle Ages, the term is unrelated to the name “Jew’s ear”. A further change of name to “jelly ear” was recommended in the List of Recommended Names for Fungi. Unrelated common names include the “ear fungus” and the “common ear fungus”. The species was known as “fungus sambuca” among herbalists, in reference to Sambucus, the generic name for elder.

It is often reminiscent of a floppy ear, but can also be cup-shaped. It is attached to the substrate laterally and sometimes by a very short stalk. Fruit bodies have a tough, gelatinous, elastic texture when fresh, but dry hard and brittle. Entirely white fruit bodies are occasionally encountered and were once given the name Auricularia lactea, but they are merely unpigmented forms and often occur in company with ordinary, pigmented fruit bodies. Hairs on the upper surface are 100-150 μm in length and 5-7.

They are hyaline, thick-walled, and have acute to rounded tips. Czech Republic, but probably more widespread in southern Europe. It can be distinguished by its dark grey to almost black fruit bodies. Auricularia auricula-judae fruit bodies can often be found in large numbers on old wood. The species is widespread throughout Europe, but is not known to occur elsewhere. Auricularia auricula-judae has a soft, jelly-like texture. Though edible, it is not held in high culinary regard.