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

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. Flesh

   The flesh is elastic, gelatinous.

4. 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

1. Peziza pura Pers., 1796

2. Bulgaria pura (Pers.) Fr., 1822

3. Ombrophila pura (Pers.) Fr., 1849

4. Craterocolla pura (Pers.) Sacc., 1888

5. Coryne bresadolae Rehm, 1915

6. Ombrophila pura (Pers.) Baral, 1985

7. Coryne foliacea Bres., 1905

8. Burckhardia pura (Pers.) Kuntze 1891

9. Helotium violascens (Rehm) Boud. 1907

10. Neobulgaria foliacea (Bres.) Dennis 1956

11. 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)