A noble lug

These are the fruiting bodies of the fungus Auricularia auricula-judae, now commonly known as jelly ears, that makes its living by breaking down dead wood.  
I feel that jelly ears is a rather boring and uninspired name and I have previously proposed 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.