The stumps of various tree species provide a habitat for this very extensive group of fungi. Many of them are minute, even microscopic, and so easily escape human attention, while others are striking in size, shape and colouring.
The species is often characterized by large round pores in the form of tubular openings about 2-4 mm wide, which are interspersed with minute, rust-coloured pores, through which drops of a hot bitter liquid are excreted. The fruit-bodies also secrete surplus water in this way. These drops are best visible on young growths, which secrete large amounts of this liquid. This process takes place only in favourable damp weather conditions. The old dry fruit-bodies are hard, frail and almost black.
The colour of the fruit-bodies varies, ranging from pure milky- white and bluish shades to a dark amber-brown. P. gelatinoston is an edible species but due to its second-rate quality it is rarely collected. Usually it can be found growing on pine and spruce stumps. The three species illustrated here are the most abundant representatives of the two families of Basidiomycetes and the living fruit-bodies are strikingly resilient and gelatinous.
The fruit-body of False Morels is divided into a stipc, which is either rounded and smooth or longitudinally ribbed or furrowed, with a cup- shaped or saddle-shaped fertile head which is often irregularly lobed. The head of Helvella elastica is reminiscent of the shape of a riding saddle and in addition is divided into 2-3 lobes. It can be found growing in damp soil in various types of woodland.
Helvetia acetabulum has deep, cup-shaped fruit- bodies which open gradually. Its prominent ribs, located on a relatively short stipe, branch out to the underside margins of its cup-shaped cap.
When dried out, it becomes narrow, black and shrivelled. Generally it grows on the cut surfaces of beech stumps and also on the branches and trunks of other trees lying on the ground. The Jew’s Ear is edible, but Tremella and Exidia are not.
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