Kingdom Fungi Rank Species | Division Basidiomycota Family Dacrymycetaceae Scientific name Dacryopinax spathularia | |
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Similar Dacryopinax, Dacrymycetes, Guepinia, Jelly fungus, Dacrymyces palmatus | ||
Dacryopinax spathularia jelly fungus fungi dacrymycetaceae
Dacryopinax spathularia (syn. Guepinia spathularia) is an edible jelly fungus. It is orange in color. In Chinese culture, it is called guìhuā'ěr (桂花耳; literally "sweet osmanthus ear," referring to its similarity in appearance to that flower). It is sometimes included in a vegetarian dish called Buddha's delight.
Contents
- Dacryopinax spathularia jelly fungus fungi dacrymycetaceae
- Dacryopinax spathularia fungi kingdom
- Description
- Habitat and distribution
- Edibility
- References
The basionym of this species is Merulius spathularius.
Dacryopinax spathularia fungi kingdom
Description
The fruit bodies of Dacryopinax spathularia are spatula-shaped, usually 1–1.5 cm (0.4–0.6 in) tall and between 0.5–3 mm wide. The color is orange when fresh, but it darkens to orangish-red when dry. The spore deposit is white. Its spores are ellipsoid, smooth-surfaced, hyaline (translucent), and measure 7–10 by 3–4 μm. It has forked, four-spored basidia that are 25–35 by 3–5 μm.
Habitat and distribution
A saprobic species, D. spathularia grows on rotting wood; it has even been reported to grow on polyester rugs. It is widely distributed in Asia, and also known from Hawaii, Europe, and South America.
Edibility
Dacryopinax spathularia is edible.
