Neobulgaria pura
What You Should Know
Neobulgaria pura is invariably found on fallen trunks and branches of broadleaf hardwood trees, and in particular Beech trees. It is also found throughout mainland Europe.
Other names: Beech Jellydisc.
Neobulgaria pura Mushroom Identification
Fruiting Bodies
1 - 2.5 (5) cm, first conical, later disc-shaped, saucer-shaped, clustered in small groups. The hymenial layer is smooth, whitish-pink, whitish-purple-pink, located on the inner surface of the disc.
Asci
70-95 * 8 microns, 8 spores. Spores 7.5-9 * 3.5-4.5 microns, elliptical in shape, with 2 drops of oil, colorless.
Flesh
The flesh is elastic, gelatinous.
Similar Species
Bulgaria inquinans is similar in form but black or very dark brown.
Neobulgaria pura Taxonomy and Etymology
The basionym of this species was originally defined by Persoon and accepted by the great Swedish mycologist Elias Magnus Fries in his 1822 publication Systema Mycologicum. The currently accepted scientific name of this species was established in 1921 by Austrian mycologist Franz Petrak (1886 - 1973).
Neobulgaria pura is the type species of its genus, which was circumscribed by Petrak in 1921.
Despite the word 'Jelly' appearing in its common name and very well reflecting its texture, this is not one of the hererobasidiomycetes 'Jelly Fungi' which belong to the - Class Basidiomycota. Neobulgaria pura belongs to the Ascomycota, as also does its swarthy lookalike Bulgaria inquinans.
In 1969 Neobulgaria pura var. foliacea (Bres.) Dennis & Gamundí was separated from the nominate form Neobulgaria pura var. pura; it is similar but has ripple-folded (brain-like) fruitbodies rather than individual 'buttons'. Older synonyms of this variety include Coryne foliacea Bres., and Neobulgaria foliacea (Bres.) Dennis.
Neobulgaria, the genus name, maybe a reference to the leathery skin - a bulgar was a leather pounch within which wine was carried. Any other suggestions would be most welcome! Much more straightforward, the specific epithet pura comes from the Latin adjective purum and means pure or clean.
Neobulgaria pura Synonyms
Peziza pura Pers., 1796
Bulgaria pura (Pers.) Fr., 1822
Ombrophila pura (Pers.) Fr., 1849
Craterocolla pura (Pers.) Sacc., 1888
Coryne bresadolae Rehm, 1915
Ombrophila pura (Pers.) Baral, 1985
Coryne foliacea Bres., 1905
Burckhardia pura (Pers.) Kuntze 1891
Helotium violascens (Rehm) Boud. 1907
Neobulgaria foliacea (Bres.) Dennis 1956
Ombrophila violascens Rehm 1891
Sources:
Photo 1 - Author: Björn S... (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic)
Photo 2 - Author: Holger Krisp (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)
Photo 3 - Author: Christian Grenier (Public Domain)
Photo 4 - Author: Christian Grenier (Public Domain)
Photo 5 - Author: Björn S... (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic)
Shape: Cup FungiJelly Fungi