Fungus · GBIF taxon 11945016
Witch's Butter
Tremella mesentericaAlso known as Yellow Brain Fungus, Golden Jelly Fungus, Yellow Trembler
Bright yellow-orange gelatinous folds erupt from rotting hardwood branches after heavy rains. This fungus parasites wood-decaying crust fungi in the genus Peniophora, absorbing nutrients from their concealed mycelium rather than breaking down wood directly. During dry spells, the damp rubbery lobes shrivel into a dark, inconspicuous crust, only to revive into plump jelly when moisture returns.
Jelly FungusParasiticBright Yellow
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Peniophora mycelium
Predators
- Fungus gnats
- Slugs
- Snails
ThreatsDeforestation and clear-cutting
HabitatsDeciduous woodlands, forests, hedgerows
Life spanEphemeral fruit bodies (persists via host mycelium)
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderTremellales
- FamilyTremellaceae
- GenusTremella
- SpeciesTremella mesenterica
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Many wild fungi have toxic look-alikes; never eat wild mushrooms based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
- Observation: Look for vibrant yellow brain-like folds on fallen hardwood branches after autumn rain.
- Handling: Gently feel the slippery texture without tearing the fragile body from its substrate.
- Drying Cycle: Revisit dried crusty specimens after rain to watch them rehydrate within hours.
Conifer Look-Alike (c) Serenella Linares, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Fungal Host (c) Paul Cook, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Paul Cook · cc-by
Ecological Neighbor (c) sugarsnap_t, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by sugarsnap_t · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Alex Abair, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Alex Abair · cc-by
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