Auricularia cornea (毛木耳, maomuer or cloud ear) is a species of fungus in the order Auriculariales. It is commercially cultivated for food in China. The species was previously referred to Auricularia polytricha, but the latter species is probably a later synonym. Auricularia cornea is a popular ingredient in many Chinese dishes and is also used in traditional Chinese medicine.
Auricularia cornea was originally described from Hawaii (Oahu) by German naturalist Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg in 1820. It was accepted as a distinct species by Bernard Lowy in his 1952 world monograph of Auricularia[1] and subsequently confirmed as distinct by molecular research, based on cladistic analysis of DNA sequences.[2][3]
Auricularia polytricha, originally described from India (Eastern Ghats) by French mycologist Camille Montagne in 1834, is a probable later synonym.[2]
The species is called in Mandarin Chinese: 云耳; pinyin: yún'ěr, lit. "cloud ear", Chinese: 毛木耳; pinyin: máomù'ěr, lit. "hairy wood ear"), and in Japanese it is called ara-ge-ki-kurage (アラゲキクラゲ, lit. "rough-hair-tree-jellyfish"). It is one of several gelatinous fungi known as wood ear, wood fungus, ear fungus, or tree ear fungus, an allusion to their rubbery, ear-shaped fruitbodies.
In Hawaii, it is known as pepeiao which means "ear"[4] In Southeast Asia, it is known as bok née in local English (from the Hokkien 木耳 bo̍k-ní) and is used in the salad kerabu bok nee. It is called jamur kuping in Indonesia and cendawan telinga kera in Malaysia, meaning "the ear mushroom" and "monkey's ear mushroom" respectively, and in the Philippines it is called tenga ng daga, meaning "rat's ear", due to its appearance. In Chinese cooking, it is often referred to as "Black Treasure".[5] In New Zealand, it is known as hakeke by Māori.[6]
The white, unpigmented form of A. cornea is called yumuer in China and is now cultivated.[3][7]
Fruit bodies solitary or clustered, ear-shaped, laterally attached to wood, sometimes by a very short stalk, elastic, gelatinous, pale brown to reddish brown, rarely white, up to 90 mm wide and 2 mm thick; upper surface densely hairy; under surface smooth. Under a microscope, the hairs on the upper surface are thick-walled, 180–425 × 6–9 μm. Basidia cylindrical, hyaline, three-septate, 60–75 × 4–6 μm. Spores hyaline, allantoid (sausage-shaped), 14–16.5 × 4.5–6 μm.[3]
Auricularia cornea grows on dead fallen or standing wood of broadleaf trees. The species is widely distributed in southern Asia, Africa, Australasia and the Pacific, and South America.[2][3]
Auricularia cornea is usually sold in dried form, and needs to be soaked in water before use. While almost tasteless, it is prized for its slippery but slightly crunchy texture, and its potential nutritional benefits.[8] The slight crunchiness persists despite most cooking processes.[9] Auricularia cornea is coarser than Auricularia heimuer, and is more likely to be used in soups rather than stir-fries.[10]
Māori traditionally cooked wood ear fungus by steaming in an earth oven and eating with sow thistle and potatoes.[11] From the 1870s to the 1950s, the fungus was collected and exported from New Zealand to China.[6]
According to Chinese medicine practitioners, eating dried and cooked wood ear can have health benefits for people with high blood pressure or cancer, and can prevent coronary heart disease and arteriosclerosis.[5]
This fungus is used in Cantonese desserts.
A cup of dry cloud ear fungus contains 19.6 grams of dietary fibre.[12]
Auricularia cornea (毛木耳, maomuer or cloud ear) is a species of fungus in the order Auriculariales. It is commercially cultivated for food in China. The species was previously referred to Auricularia polytricha, but the latter species is probably a later synonym. Auricularia cornea is a popular ingredient in many Chinese dishes and is also used in traditional Chinese medicine.
Auricularia cornea est un vrai champignon (Eumycète) de la famille des Auriculariaceae. On parle communément du champignon oreilles, par rapport avec sa forme et sa texture gélatineuse.
Les sporophores (partie sortant du sol d’un champignon) poussent souvent en groupes sur du bois mort. Le chapeau est en forme de coquille ou d’oreille, jusqu'à 10 cm de diamètre, de consistance élastique et cartilagineuse, fixé par le sommet ou latéralement au substrat[1]. Une couche externe peut s’en détacher, celle-ci est ondulée, toujours pubescente brune à brun clair, et finalement blanchâtre sale (au cours du développement du sporophore). La marge du chapeau est lisse, égale, parfois enroulée ou récurvée[2]. La surface inférieure, toujours globalement lisse est brun-pourpre à brun-rougeâtre, parfois poudrée de blanc avec l'âge. Le pied est absent ou très court, n'excédant pas 2 à 4 mm de diamètre et de longueur. La chair est élastique et tenace. Ce champignon a peu d’odeur, et le goût n’est pas très prononcé. A. delicata est une espèce voisine, également pantropicale. Elle se distingue de A. cornea par une surface hyméniale (le dessous du chapeau) nettement poreuse. Les deux espèces sont parfois trouvées côte à côte sur le même substrat. Ce sont des champignons qui dégradent la matière végétale morte ou vivante pour s’en nourrir.
A. cornea se développe sur les bois morts. L’espèce a une large amplitude écologique : forêts dense humide voire sèche, galerie, de montagne, et claires. On parle d’une espèce généraliste.
Elle est présente sur l'ensemble des continents, avec une prédominance pour l'Océanie[3]. Les pays francophones concernés par la dition sont à tout le moins la Côte d'Ivoire[2], le Québec et la Nouvelle Calédonie[3].
Si ce champignon est fréquemment consommé localement et fait l’objet d’un commerce local en Côte d'Ivoire, il est surtout réputé en médecine traditionnelle locale pour soigner l’anémie, la tension, les ulcères gastriques et les rhumatismes[2]. Il est alors consommé en sauces.
Auricularia cornea est un vrai champignon (Eumycète) de la famille des Auriculariaceae. On parle communément du champignon oreilles, par rapport avec sa forme et sa texture gélatineuse.
Auricularia cornea je grzib[5], co go ôpisoł Ehrenb. 1820. Auricularia cornea nŏleży do zorty Auricularia i familije Auriculariaceae.[6][7] Żŏdne podgatōnki niy sōm wymianowane we Catalogue of Life.[6]
Auricularia cornea je grzib, co go ôpisoł Ehrenb. 1820. Auricularia cornea nŏleży do zorty Auricularia i familije Auriculariaceae. Żŏdne podgatōnki niy sōm wymianowane we Catalogue of Life.
