June 1 Jelly Fungus!

I was traveling the bike path near Starkweather Creek today and walked a few of the short trails to see the slow-moving water. On one large down tree, I noticed this massive jelly fungus peeking into what little sunlight reaches the forest floor. Ductifera pululahuana is a fast guess for this species, also known as white jelly fungus. It is said to be very common across eastern North America and is one of the later fungi to grow on decomposing hardwoods. This one is a very three-dimensional fan shaped blob at least 5 inches across and is growing on what I guess is a downed maple tree (the bark is long gone). Other jellies come in all different forms, some appear just like drops from a jar of grape jelly, others appear dry and woody, some look like bits of brain, while others look like corals. To identify most species of fungi, you need to put a sample under a microscope and analyze the shapes you see. Clear photos help a lot to get a general idea, which is fun enough for any amateur mycologist. One last thought on jelly fungi is that almost all are edible, but almost all taste like dirt, too. Have fungi!