Judas Ear (Wood Ear)

The Judas Ear is a striking, reddish brown colored mushroom with the shape of an ear, which can grow on both dead and living wood. The fungus is most commonly found on elderberry bushes but can sometimes appear on other trees.
The name Judas ear and the Latin generic name auricula-judae are derived from the popular belief that the apostle Judas would have hanged himself on an elder tree out of remorse after he had handed Jesus over to his enemies .
Usually the "ears" remain small (diameter a few centimeters), but under optimal conditions they can reach dimensions of 8 to 12 cm. When fresh they have a viscous-elastic structure, but when they dry out they become hard and brittle. Even when dried out, spores are still released. It maybe have veins across it, making the mushroom look even more like an ear. The fruiting bodies can live for over 1 year.
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