Walking in a nature reserve in the Forest of Dean we came upon, for the first time ever, yellow brain fungus (Tremella mesenterica). This fungus is parasitic and feeds on other fungi that feed on dead wood. The example we came across was on a dead oak tree. It was a soft gelatinous mass, slimy and wet with colours in the yellow/orange spectrum. I spotted its bright colours at a distance and thought it was a hat or glove, perhaps dropped by a child, and placed on a branch so as to be visible to anyone searching for it. The reality proved to be quite different.
photo © T. Boughen Camera: Nikon P900
