Fungus · GBIF taxon 11945016
witch's butter
Tremella mesentericaAlso known as Yellow Brain Fungus, Golden Jelly Fungus, Yellow Trembler
Witch's butter emerges as vibrant, lobed gelatinous masses on dead broadleaf branches, particularly during wet or chilly winter weather. Rather than decaying wood directly, this fungus parasitizes the hidden mycelium of crust fungi living inside the wood. When conditions dry out, the bright orange fruiting body collapses into a hard, inconspicuous film, only to rehydrate and swell back to life with the next rain.
Jelly FungusParasiticForest Fungi
—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
- Slugs
- Snails
- Fungal-feeding beetles
ThreatsExcessive removal of deadwood and fallen branches
HabitatsDeciduous woodlands, mixed forests, and brush piles
Life spanPerennial mycelium with ephemeral fruiting bodies
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyTremellaceae
- 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
- Substrate check: Look on dead broadleaf branches after recent rainfall.
- Tactile observation: Gently feel the squishy, brain-like texture without tearing the tissue.
- Seasonal timing: Search during late autumn, winter, or early spring when trees are bare.
Look-Alike (c) Serenella Linares, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Host Species (c) Paul Cook, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Paul Cook · cc-by
Ecological Counterpart (c) sugarsnap_t, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by sugarsnap_t · cc-by
Close Relative Andrawaag / CC0 · cc0
Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?
Checking your Fauna account…Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.