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Jelly Ear Fungus
Auricularia auricula-judae (or possibly A. fuscosuccinea)
-26.8678, 151.568
Field Notes
Description:
Small reddish-brown fungi. Very soft and jelly-like to touch. Bracket appearance, but no obvious pores that I could see, and certainly no gills. Largest specimens not much bigger than my thumb nail. Only found in one well-shaded location, on the smooth (barkless) surface of a tree trunk. From my image searches and research, I'm putting my money on this species being Auricularia auricula-judae, commonly known as Jew's Ear, Jelly Ear, Wood Ear, amongst many other names. It is found world-wide, and in Australia, it is found in Eucalyptus woodland and rainforests. In the rainforests, it can grow in very large colonies on fallen logs. The Wikipedia link provides extensive information on this species. Other ID possibilities for this spotting include A. fuscosuccinea and A. cornea, and also Anthracophyllum archeri.
Habitat:
Subtropical rainforest in Bunya Mountains National Park, southeast Queensland. Here's some info on the park - http://www.nprsr.qld.gov.au/parks/bunya-mountains/culture.html
Notes:
Used widely in cooking, and in pharmacology. The species has been the subject of much research and has been found to have many medicinal applications.
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