Jew's Ears

The Latin name of these fungus is Auricularia auricula-judae translating as Ear, Ear of of Judas. Many new books call them Ear Fungus to avoid being seen as being un-PC but the common name originated, as Judas's Ear, evolving to Jew's Ear as early as the 16th century and has no anti-Semitic root.

Judas Iscariot, the apostle, is believed to have hanged himself on an elder tree after his betrayal of Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. The fungus was thought to be his spirit returned to remind us of his suicide.

They are strange jelly like fungus that can't be confused with anything else. Most grow on dead or dying Elder trees, although they can very occasionally be found on Sycamore, Beech, Ash and Spindle. The largest crops are found in autumn but they can be found all year round and, can survive freezing temperatures.
They are edible but, with little significant flavour and a tendency to be rubbery, are not highly sought after.

The old herbalists used the fungus as a poultice for eye infections and a treatment for throat conditions. In China, soup is made from Jew's ears to treat colds and reduce fevers.

Recent research has found that the fungus can be used to lower cholesterol levels, and, in particular to reduce the level of bad cholesterol. Also, polysaccharides from these fungi could potentially produce medicines to aid coagulation, platelet aggregation and, possibly, for thrombosis.

Thank you all very much for stars and favourites for my gruesome fly yesterday. As awful as the subject was, it has been my most popular image to date!

Today was Earth day... I know that, only as a result of a research, into a stolen image of a cake, for a friend in Italy.