Auricularia polytricha
(Montagne) Saccardo
Black fungus, Wood ear, Hairy Jew’s ear
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Description
A mushroom. This jelly fungus or mushroom grows on logs. The cap is ear-shaped. It is leathery and 8 cm across. The stalk is short. It has frilly, brownish clumps of translucent tissue.
Edible Uses
The mushroom is used fresh or dried in sour salads, soups, and fried with chicken. It maintains a crunchy texture when added near the end of cooking.
Traditional Uses
The mushroom is used both fresh and dried. It is used in sour salads and in soups. It can also be fried with chicken. It keeps its crunchy texture if only added to dishes in the last few minutes of cooking.
Medicinal Uses
At least three species are commercially cultivated for food on a large scale in China and East Asia. They include Auricularia heimuer (black wood ear), formerly misdetermined as Auricularia auricula-judae; Auricularia cornea (wood ear or cloud ear), also called A. polytricha; and Auricularia villosula. Other species are eaten locally around the world. A study on the use of fungi by the Bini people of southern Nigeria found that the local inhabitants collected and ate a species similar to A. auricula-judae, but that it was not one of the fungi they used medicinally. Collection of Auricularia species has also been documented in Nepal. However, the Nepalese do not consider them all that good for eating; of the three grades given to edible fungi, they were given the worst. Additional places where Auricularia species have been recorded as locally gathered and consumed include Benin, Chile, Fiji, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Madagascar, Mexico, Mozambique, and Poland. Several species, including the Asian cultivated species and the European A. auricula-judae (jelly ear or jew's ear), have been used in traditional medicine. They have also been investigated for potential pharmaceutical use.
Distribution
A tropical and subtropical plant. In Thailand it grows on logs of Sesbania, Kapok, or mango. In China and the USA it is often near melting snow.
Where It Grows
Africa, Asia, Australia, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central Africa, Chile, China, Congo, East Africa, Fiji, Hawaii, Himalayas, Hong Kong, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, North America, Northeastern India, Pacific, Russia, Samoa, SE Asia, South Africa, South America, Southern Africa, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tonga, USA, Vietnam,
Other Information
It is sold in markets. It is cultivated in China. It is sold in Asian shops in Australia.
Nutrition
| Part | Moisture | kJ | kcal | Protein | Vit A | Vit C | Iron | Zinc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mushroom dried | 14.8 | 1188 | 284 | 9.3 | 0 | 0 | 5.9 | 1.3 |
| Mushroom | 87.1 | 176 | 42 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6.1 | — |
Also Known As
Arage-kikurage, Biyae, Black shelf fungus, Cendawan telinga kera, Chiple, Cloud ear, Daliga, Hakeka, Hed hoo noo, Hed hunu, Hunu, Jelly mushroom, Kikurage, Kuping jamu, Kuping tikus, Kyet neywet, Majiamdzum, Maomuer, Nam meo long, Mo-er, Mook yee, Mu-er, Pachei, Phset chheu, Psoet tratchik kandai, Silver ear, Tree ear, Wood fungus, Wun yee, Xer-bla-ble
References (36)
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