the translucent white jelly of NZ forest logs
- Size
- Width: 2–10 cm
- Lifespan
- 1–2 years
- Diet
- Parasitic on mycelium of other wood-rotting fungi, particularly Annulohypoxylon species. Does not feed on wood directly. Steals nutrients from host mycelium.
- Habitat
- Grows on dead wood, parasitising mycelium of other wood-rotting fungi. Forms white, translucent, gelatinous, brain-like masses that are soft and wobbly.
- Range
- Throughout North Island and northern South Island on dead wood. Found in native forests, exotic plantations and gardens. Most common in lowland areas with high humidity.
- Endemism
- Introduced
- Main Threats
- No significant conservation threats identified. Localised threats include removal of dead wood from forests and gardens which reduces available substrate.
- Population
- White, gelatinous fungus on dead wood, parasitising other wood-rotting fungi. Fruiting body is soft, wobbly and brain-like. Rehydrates when wet. Introduced from Asia.
- Conservation Status
- Introduced
The shape-shifter of the forest floor. A fungus that turns from crust to jelly. Tremella fuciformis is a white, translucent, gelatinous mass. It measures two to ten centimetres across. The surface is convoluted and brain-like. It has no distinct cap or stem. It is a soft, wobbly blob. It looks like it belongs in the ocean. Instead, it sits on a dead branch in the forest. The context is unexpected. The appearance is alien.
When touched, it is soft. It is squishy and slightly slippery. It resembles a jellyfish or a piece of wet silicone. It wobbles when poked. It tears easily. This fragility is notable. When it is dry, the transformation is complete. It shrivels to a hard, brittle crust. It looks like nothing at all. It becomes invisible. When it rains, it rehydrates. It expands. It returns to its full, jelly-like form in a matter of hours. The speed is impressive. The mechanism is efficient.
This fungus is a parasite, not a saprotroph. Jelly fungus does not feed on wood directly. Instead, it grows on the mycelium of other wood-rotting fungi. It targets Annulohypoxylon species particularly. It hijacks the host's mycelium. It steals the nutrients that the host has extracted from the dead wood. It is a fungal vampire. It is a thief in the dark. The relationship is one-sided. The host does not benefit. The jelly fungus takes what it needs. It operates without permission.
Edible. In China, jelly fungus is cultivated. It is sold as silver ear or snow fungus. It is used in soups and desserts for its unique texture. It is said to be good for the skin. It is said to be good for the lungs. It is said to be good for the immune system. The culinary value is high. The medicinal claims are persistent. The demand is global.
To find jelly fungus is to find a piece of Asian cuisine growing on a New Zealand branch. The dead branch is damp. The jelly fungus is a wobbly, translucent blob. It is brain-like and soft. It is dry. It shrivels to a crust. It rains. It expands back to jelly. It does not know it is a shape-shifter. It does not know it is edible. It simply exists in this state. The cycle repeats.
It just wants to steal nutrients. The world is connected. Fungi travel with people. The forest is never static. It is always absorbing new arrivals. The jelly fungus is proof of this movement. It arrived from elsewhere. It established itself here. It thrives in the damp conditions. It exploits the local fungi. The integration is seamless. The origin is foreign. The presence is now native. No one told it otherwise.