Life in Newburgh on Ythan

By Talpa

A fungal feast

This is Tremella mesenterica, commonly known as the yellow brain fungus, the golden jelly fungus, the yellow trembler, and witches' butter, is a common jelly fungus. Although it looks a little like a brain its scientific name translates as "trembling intestine"

Often found on dead wood, often, as here, on gorse, Tremella is a parasite of other wood decaying fungi, particularly those of the genus Peniophora. The thought of fungus feasting on fungus puts me in mind of the witty verse penned by the mathematician Augustus De Morgan.

"Great fleas have little fleas upon their backs to bite 'em,
And little fleas have lesser fleas, and so ad infinitum.
And the great fleas themselves, in turn, have greater fleas to go on,
While these again have greater still, and greater still, and so on."

Comments
Sign in or get an account to comment.