Also Known as Witches ' Butter or Forest Brain
Temella Mesenterica is a common mushroom that you will find on dead branches. It is a beautiful golden yellow mushroom, often wet and gelatinous. Long ago people thought it was the trace of a spell cast by a witch...
Family : Tremellaceae
Shape
Tremella Mesenterica is a bald mass of lobes, it is golden yellow turning to dark orange when it ages. It grows 2–5 cm across and 1–3 cm high. It is gelatinous and cartilaginous at first and becomes harder and horny as it dries.
Name
Tremella comes from the Latin tremere, "to tremble", and from the suffix -ella, "small", in reference to the behavior of gelatinous, trembling flesh. Emsenterica comes from the Latin meso, “middle” and from the Greek enteron, “intestine”.
Habitat
It grows all year round on the wood of cut trees and dead branches, but also on the wood of branches of living deciduous trees.
Geographical area
Common in Europe, Australia, in the high moutains of Taiwan and in America (area of San Francisco Bay).
Flavor and odor
Tasteless and odorless.
Culinary notes
It is an edible mushroom but without gastronomic interest. In Asia its gelatinous consistency is used to add texture to soups and other dishes. It is rich in provitamin D, Vitamin D.
Medical uses
Tremella mesenterica has been used in Asia as a tonic for lung conditions. Biomedical researchers in China recently discovered that this fungus produces polysaccharides, it is believed to be a powerful immune enhancer.
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