Poplar bell fungus Identification

Poplar Bell Fungus / Autumn / Inedible

There’s something truly special about stumbling across a rare find in the woods—one of those moments when you feel like you’ve uncovered a hidden treasure. That’s exactly how I felt the first time I spotted the Schizophyllum amplum, better known as the poplar bell fungus.

This curious little fungus is a rare treat to find in the UK, typically gracing the deadwood of poplars and willows with its delicate, bell-like shape. It’s not something you come across every day, which makes identifying it all the more rewarding.

Most commonly confused for the jelly ear mushroom


Scientific Name

Schizophyllum amplum


Common Name

Popular bell


Family

Schizophyllaceae


Habitat and season

Can be found on fallen branches of popular and less so willow. Also likes to grow on thin branches high up on the tree.

September to November


Identifying Features of Poplar bell fungus

A cup shaped gelatinous fungi hanging from dead wood usually in clusters. Its jelly-like flesh is very tolerant of drying out. Reaching about 1-2 cm in size, although small overall this is on the  larger side for its family.

poplar bell fungus on log


 Flesh 

 Tough, gelatinous 

poplar bell fungus close up


Cap/upper side   

White and felty, slightly veined. sometime slightly wavy/ irregular 

poplar bell fungus on wood


Fertile side 

No gills, a gell-like smooth surface becoming radically wrinkled, mid brown/ tan.  

young poplar bell fungus


Stem

No stem, tapers in slightly where it attaches to the wood.


Smell:

Not distinctive

no taste


Spores

white


Uses of the Poplar bell fungus

Inedible, tough


Conservation Considerations 

 Uncommon to rare , best left in the interest of conservation.


The Polar Bell Fungus Could Be Confused With…

Would be hard to confuse with any other fungi when both the cap and under-side are compared.

The split gil schizophyllum commune- which has a hairier cap and gills 

The edible wood ear Auricularia auricula-judae which is a mid brown on both sides 

Peziza- is a large family of cup shaped fungus. They have a firmer texture and the cap and inner cup are very similar in colour.


Caution and known hazards 

None known


Resources

https://www.fungalpunknature.co.uk/Fungi/Schizophyllum%20amplum.html

Fungi of temperate Europe vol 2 by Thomas Laesson and Jens H.Peterson 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schizophyllum_amplum