Exsidia cartilaginous: photo and description

Exsidia cartilaginous belongs to the Saprotrophic family and grows on dry or rotten wood. The mushroom belongs to inedible species, but is not poisonous either. Therefore, if it is eaten, it will not cause serious harm to the body.

What does Exsidia cartilaginous look like?

Exsidia cartilaginous rare – a specimen from the mushroom kingdom, which can be easily recognized by its external characteristics:

• the fruiting body is formed by a jelly-like mass of light yellow color;
• rounded mushrooms grow together with each other and reach a diameter of 20 cm;
• in appearance they resemble a tuberous mass of irregular shape with an uneven surface;
• the edges with numerous whitish cilia are bent.

In dry weather, the fruit pulp hardens and acquires a shiny surface; after rain, it comes to life and continues its development.

Is the mushroom edible or not?

Exidia cartilaginous is an inedible variety. The gelatinous pulp is colored white or light brown, odorless and with a slightly noticeable sweetish aftertaste.

Where and how to grow

The species prefers to grow on dry or rotten wood of deciduous trees. Found in Europe, Asia and North America. Fruiting is long, from July to November. Fruiting bodies are not afraid of sub-zero temperatures; after warming, growth, development and formation of spores continue.

Twins and their differences

This representative of the mushroom kingdom has similar counterparts. These include the following varieties:

1. Trembling bubble. The gelatinous fruiting body is initially rounded, over time it acquires an irregular shape with a diameter of up to 20 cm. The smooth surface is shiny, at a young age it is painted in a transparent snow-white color. With age, the jelly-like mass acquires a creamy pink, and then a red-brown color. The species is rare, appears on decaying deciduous trees from January to March. The variety is edible, but due to the lack of aroma and taste, it does not represent nutritional value.

   

2. Craterocolla cherry. The watery pulp has a brain-shaped outline and has a lemon-orange color. Prefers to grow on cherry, plum, poplar and aspen. The variety is not edible.

   

   Important! The main difference between Exsidia cartilaginous and its brothers is the presence of snow-white cilia on lighter edges.

Conclusion

Exsidia cartilaginous is an inedible, rare mushroom species that grows on dry or rotten wood. It has a jelly-like shape, thanks to which the mushroom cannot be confused with other specimens. It is beautiful, unusual, hardens in dry weather, but after rains it quickly comes to life and continues its development.