Exidia recisa
Encyclopedia
Exidia recisa is a jelly fungus in the family Auriculariaceae
. It is a common, wood-rotting
species throughout the northern hemisphere, typically growing on dead attached twigs and branches of willow
, more rarely other broadleaf trees.
by Fries
in 1822. Tremella salicum (the epithet means "of willow") has long been considered a synonym.
The epithet "recisa" means "cut-off", with reference to the shape of the fruit bodies.
. The spore print
is white.
. The basidia are ellipsoid, septate, 8–15 x 6–10 µm
. The spores are allantoid (sausage-shaped), 14–15 x 3–3.5 µm.
, never on willow. Fruit bodies of Exidia umbrinella are also similar, but the species only occurs on conifers and is uncommon. The widespread Exidia glandulosa
has much darker, blackish brown fruit bodies with sparse warts or small, peg-like projections on their surface.
, although it has also been reported on poplar
, alder
, and Prunus
species. Exidia recisa typically fruits in autumn and winter. It is widely distributed in North and Central America, Europe, and northern Asia.
Auriculariaceae
The Auriculariaceae are a family of fungi in the order Auriculariales. Species within the family were formerly referred to the "heterobasidiomycetes" or "jelly fungi", since many have gelatinous basidiocarps that produce spores on septate basidia. Around 100 species are known worldwide. All are...
. It is a common, wood-rotting
Wood-decay fungus
A wood-decay fungus is a variety of fungus that digests moist wood, causing it to rot. Some wood-decay fungi attack dead wood, such as brown rot, and some, such as Armillaria , are parasitic and colonize living trees. Fungi that not only grow on wood but actually cause it to decay, are called...
species throughout the northern hemisphere, typically growing on dead attached twigs and branches of willow
Willow
Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...
, more rarely other broadleaf trees.
Taxonomy
The species was originally found growing on willow in Germany and was described in 1813 by L.P.F. Ditmar as Tremella recisa. It was transferred to the genus ExidiaExidia
Exidia is a genus of fungi in the family Auriculariaceae. Species are saprotrophic, growing on dead attached or recently fallen wood, and produce gelatinous basidiocarps . The fruit bodies are variously pustular, lobed, button-shaped, or top-shaped...
by Fries
Elias Magnus Fries
-External links:*, Authors of fungal names, Mushroom, the Journal of Wild Mushrooming.*...
in 1822. Tremella salicum (the epithet means "of willow") has long been considered a synonym.
The epithet "recisa" means "cut-off", with reference to the shape of the fruit bodies.
Description
Exidia recisa forms orange-brown or amber, gelatinous fruit bodies that are firm and shallowly conical at first, becoming lax and pendulous with age, and around 2.5 cm (1 in) across. The fruit bodies typically grow gregariously, but do not normally coalesce. The upper, spore-bearing surface is smooth and shiny, whilst the undersurface is smooth and matt. Fruit bodies are attached to the wood at a point, but do not have a stemStipe (mycology)
thumb|150px|right|Diagram of a [[basidiomycete]] stipe with an [[annulus |annulus]] and [[volva |volva]]In mycology a stipe refers to the stem or stalk-like feature supporting the cap of a mushroom. Like all tissues of the mushroom other than the hymenium, the stipe is composed of sterile hyphal...
. The spore print
Spore print
thumb|300px|right|Making a spore print of the mushroom Volvariella volvacea shown in composite: mushroom cap laid on white and dark paper; cap removed after 24 hours showing pinkish-tan spore print...
is white.
Microscopic characters
The microscopic characters are typical of the genus ExidiaExidia
Exidia is a genus of fungi in the family Auriculariaceae. Species are saprotrophic, growing on dead attached or recently fallen wood, and produce gelatinous basidiocarps . The fruit bodies are variously pustular, lobed, button-shaped, or top-shaped...
. The basidia are ellipsoid, septate, 8–15 x 6–10 µm
Micrometre
A micrometer , is by definition 1×10-6 of a meter .In plain English, it means one-millionth of a meter . Its unit symbol in the International System of Units is μm...
. The spores are allantoid (sausage-shaped), 14–15 x 3–3.5 µm.
Similar species
Fruit bodies of Exidia repanda are similarly coloured and microscopically indistinguishable. The fruit bodies are button-shaped, however, never becoming conical and pendulous, and the species typically occurs on birchBirch
Birch is a tree or shrub of the genus Betula , in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the beech/oak family, Fagaceae. The Betula genus contains 30–60 known taxa...
, never on willow. Fruit bodies of Exidia umbrinella are also similar, but the species only occurs on conifers and is uncommon. The widespread Exidia glandulosa
Exidia glandulosa
Exidia glandulosa is a jelly fungus in the family Auriculariaceae. It is a common, wood-rotting species in Europe, typically growing on dead attached branches of oak. The fruit bodies are up to wide, shiny, black and blister-like, and grow singly or in clusters...
has much darker, blackish brown fruit bodies with sparse warts or small, peg-like projections on their surface.
Habitat and distribution
Exidia recisa is a wood-rotting species, typically found on dead attached twigs and branches. It was originally recorded on willow and most frequently occurs on this substrateSubstrate (biology)
In biology a substrate is the surface a plant or animal lives upon and grows on. A substrate can include biotic or abiotic materials and animals. For example, encrusting algae that lives on a rock can be substrate for another animal that lives on top of the algae. See also substrate .-External...
, although it has also been reported on poplar
Poplar
Populus is a genus of 25–35 species of deciduous flowering plants in the family Salicaceae, native to most of the Northern Hemisphere. English names variously applied to different species include poplar , aspen, and cottonwood....
, alder
Alder
Alder is the common name of a genus of flowering plants belonging to the birch family . The genus comprises about 30 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, few reaching large size, distributed throughout the North Temperate Zone and in the Americas along the Andes southwards to...
, and Prunus
Prunus
Prunus is a genus of trees and shrubs, which includes the plums, cherries, peaches, apricots and almonds. There are around 430 species spread throughout the northern temperate regions of the globe. Many members of the genus are widely cultivated for fruit and ornament.-Botany:Members of the genus...
species. Exidia recisa typically fruits in autumn and winter. It is widely distributed in North and Central America, Europe, and northern Asia.