A Laird's lug

These are the fruiting bodies of the fungus Auricularia auricula-judae, commonly known as jelly ears, that makes it living by breaking down dead wood.  In the politically less sensitive past they were known as Jew's ears, the clue being in the scientific name; Auricula being the Latin word for ear and Judae referring to Judas, the Jew who it is said to have betrayed Jesus. The association with Judas Iscariot comes from its habit of growing on dead elder trees Sambucus nigra, the tree on which Judas is traditionally thought to have hung himself. Given that the elder is not native to the Palestine region, this story may not be entirely accurate!

I feel that jelly ears is a rather boring and uninspired name and I propose that henceforth in Scotland we refer to them as Laird's Lugs (Lord's Ears). A Laird's Lug is a secret listening system to be found in old Scottish castles that allowed the Laird to overhear the conversations of his guests in the Great Hall from his bedroom above.