• Fungi and Barbed Wire

I came across these brown, velvety fungi on my walk today.  I had no idea what they were, but a little delving unearthed the Latin name Auricularia auricula-judae and a goodly number of vernacular terms too, including Judas’s Ear (as you might imagine from the Latin), Jew’s Ear, Jelly Ear, Pig’s Ear and Black Wood Ear. Apparently it is edible if properly cooked and it has medicinal uses.  I just thought that it was exceptionally beautiful, especially when set against barbed wire.