RESEARCHES ON THE " WHITE JUDAS'-EAR" 



(Tremella fuciformis Berk) 



By Dr. SHOZABURO MIWORA, Forest Expert 



The Chinese, who are particularly fond of mushrooms, use various 

 sorts for culinary purposes and among these the " white Judas'-ear " is 

 undoubtedly the one most highly prized by oriental epicurists. The article 

 generally commands a price in the market of 15 to 20 Dollars per kilo. 

 Since it is a saprophyte found on broad-leaved trees, it may well be 

 cultivated side to side with Shiitake mushrooms in districts rich in oaks; 

 and a study of this peculiar saprophyte fungus will prove of general 

 interest to those connected with foresty. 



I. Classification of the " White Judas'-Ear " 



The "white Judas'-ear" offered in the market is a white hard 

 irregularly folded fungus. The light yellow variety is known as the 

 " Golden Ear " while the colorless one is known as the " Silver Ear." 



When the dry " white Judas'-ear " is put in water, it swells con- 

 siderably after a while and turns into a semi-transparent gelationous 

 substance. Freshly collected ears show under the microscope the basidios, 

 peculiar to the Tremellinea family. The fruit body is formed of a 

 gelatinous substance divided into irregular folds, much resembling to the 

 cocks-comb in shape. The round pear-shaped, longitudinally divided basi- 

 dios bear four elongated sterigmata, situated apically, and 4 basidio spores 

 are united into the hsnnenium on the surface of the fruit body. This 

 shows that it is of the Genus Tremella in the Tremellineae. Through 

 successive culture of the spore we came to the conclusion that the " White 

 Judas'-ear" is nothing else than Tremella fuciformis Berk. 



II. On the Spore of the " White Judas'-Ear " 



To know the nature of the spore of " White Judas'-Ear " is of con- 

 siderable importance for its culture and we give some of the results of our 

 researches in this line. 



