Genus
Auricularia (Wood ear fungi)
Auricularia americana. Photo: (c) pinonbistro, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
Auricularia is a genus of jelly fungi in the family Auriculariaceae. Preliminary phylogenetic studies suggest the Exidiaceae is closely related to Auriculariaceae - the two share many morphological traits. Fruitbody either resupinate or pileate and then either ear-to shell-shaped or forming narrow, imbricate brackets, flabby elastic or tough gelatinous; hymenial surface smooth, wrinkled or veined, often purplish. Basidia cylindrical, with 1-3 transeverse septa. Spores narrowly ellipsoid to allantoid, hyaline, smooth. Most Auricularia species are edible and…