Day 46: Although superficially rather nondescript, Pseudohydnum gelatinosum reveals a surprise when viewed from the bottomside. As the first part of its Latin name suggests, it resembles the family of Hydnums in that it exhibits "teeth" (inset) instead of pores or gills. The second half of its name is even more descriptive; its small size and granular, translucent surface looks and feels like a gumdrop. It is common (inedible) and unmistakable. No other jelly fungus has "teeth."
My readers may have noticed a rise in the number of fungus photos I've posted recently. There are two reasons for that. The first is that wildflower season is past. The second is that in an effort to broaden my knowledge of mycoheterotrophs, I am making visits to areas where certain species occur, documenting which fungi are associated with them, i.e., employing good old-fashioned field science and the power of observation. A simpler but much less affordable solution would be to take a section of the species in question and run it through DNA analysis or put it under an electron microscope, but that wouldn't be nearly as much fun!
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