spathularia (Sweet Osmanthus Ear) — Species | WeMush Taxonomy

spathularia

Sweet Osmanthus Ear

Dacrymyces spathularia is a jelly fungus characterized by its small, spatula-shaped or fan-shaped fruit bodies that are typically bright orange to yellow-orange. Unlike the brain-like or cushion-shaped morphology of D. stillatus, this species develops a distinct, often flattened, fertile head on a narrow, rounded stalk. The texture is tough-gelatinous to cartilaginous when fresh, becoming horny and brittle when dry. It is a saprotrophic fungus that causes brown rot in wood.

Edibility: Edible. It is widely consumed in Asian cuisine, particularly in China, where it is known as 'Guihua'er' (Sweet Osmanthus Ear). It is valued primarily for its gelatinous, slightly crunchy texture rather than flavor, and is often used in vegetarian dishes like 'Buddha's Delight', soups, and stews.

Habitat: Naturally grows on decaying wood of both conifers and hardwoods, often emerging from cracks in decorticated logs. It has a widespread distribution in tropical and subtropical regions, including Asia, Africa, Oceania, and the Americas.

Difficulty: INTERMEDIATE

Cultivation Suitability

Preferred Substrates

Sawdust (hardwood or conifer)

Submerged fermentation media (for glycolipids)

Distribution

Global distribution in tropical and subtropical zones; particularly common in East Asia, Hawaii, and the Caribbean.

Known Strains (0)

No strains cataloged yet for this species.

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