What is it Wednesday: December 11, 2019

Can you identify what's in this photo?

Each Wednesday morning 

on Camp Lutherlyn's Facebook page

 the Lutherlyn Environmental Education Program posts a photo. 

Readers have all morning and afternoon 

to make their best guess about what the photo is. 

Around 6 pm LEEP provides the answer and a brief explanation.

Each week's What is it Wednesday post 

will also be posted on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 

 after it is posted on Facebook,

sometimes with additional bonus information. 

In addition to bringing you current editions of What is it Wednesday 

on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 

we will be reposting old editions,

creating a What is it Wednesday archive. 

This photo was posted as a What is it Wednesday on

December 11, 2019.

And the answer is....

This is a jelly fungus, most likely either tree ear (Auricularia americana) or jelly leaf (tremella frondosa).

This is a great example of how mushrooms can be tricky to identify. These two different mushrooms have similar characteristics. Sometimes the only ways to tell them apart for sure is with the color of the spores or even the shapes and sizes of microscopic features. Because this specimen has so many lobes growing together, my guess is it is probably jelly leaf...

...but up close it just looks so ear-like!

In addition, common names can often be confusing - but fun! Auricularia americana can be known as tree ear, wood ear, jelly ear, cloud ear, or black fungus; Tremella frondosa can be known as jelly leaf, leafy brain, and brown witches butter; and sometimes the same common names can refer to a few different species  that are similar but distinct, or even different mushrooms altogether.  

If you’re not planning to eat the mushroom, it’s fun but not essential to identify it. But at LEEP we do like to at least try to identify items we encounter in nature. One reason is that it helps us (and others) be able to better relate to the natural world: when something has a name, we see it as an individual, something we have a relationship with, maybe even a friend (or sometimes a foe). This shapes in us a different understanding of nature, and often one that is more inclined to care for the natural world – something we think is an important part of being people of God!  “That weird fungus that I couldn’t figure out” doesn’t create much of a relationship: jelly leaf or tree ear does, because it helps us see it as an individual of God’s creation, connected with other individuals and systems of God’s creation.

For more on how LEEP can help you develop relationships with the natural world, through school field trips, summer camp, Saturday safaris, and more, check out www.Lutherlyn.com/ee. 

Like and follow Camp Lutherlyn on Facebook, to see What is it Wednesday posts when they come out and have the opportunity to share your guesses in the comments!