Ductifera pululahuana

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by Michael Kuo

While Ductifera pululahuana is definitely a mouthful, I doubt you'll want to make it a mouthful in a literal way, unless white globs of gelatinous fungus sound appealing--in which case I still recommend you abstain, since edibility is (wonder of wonders) not known for this species.

Ductifera pululahuana is fairly widely distributed, at least in eastern and southern North America, and its range extends well into South America. It fruits on the decayed wood of hardwoods, and is apparently one of the later fungal species that line up to decompose dead wood when a trees falls, since it typically appears on well rotted logs after the bark has disappeared.

Description:

Ecology: Probably saprobic on decaying hardwood logs (typically after the bark has disappeared); late spring, summer, and fall (probably to be expected in winter in tropical and subtropical areas); distribution uncertain but documented in eastern and southern North America, and as far south as Ecuador.

Fruiting Body: A mass of individual whitish, jelly-like globs growing in close proximity and often fusing together to form structures reminiscent of exposed brains; individual globs up to about 3 cm across, irregularly shaped but frequently roughly fan-shaped; stemless; flesh thick and gelatinous. Older specimens may discolor somewhat yellowish, brownish, or even pinkish to purplish.

Microscopic Features: Spores 9-12 x 4.5-7 µ; sausage shaped or broadly elliptical. Gloeocystidia present.

REFERENCES: (Patouillard, 1893) Donk. (Wells, 1958; Barron, 1999; McNeil, 2006.) Herb. Kuo 06070303.

Exidia alba is a synonym.

Differs from Ductifera pululahuana as follows:

Cite this page as:

Kuo, M. (2004, March). Ductifera pululahuana. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/ductifera_pululahuana.html