Tremella fibulifera

Tremella fibulifera is a species of fungus in the family Tremellaceae. It produces soft, whitish, lobed to frondose, gelatinous basidiocarps (fruit bodies) and is parasitic on other fungi on dead branches of broad-leaved trees. It was originally described from Brazil.

Taxonomy
Tremella fibulifera was first published in 1895 by German mycologist Alfred Möller based on a collection made in Brazil.

Description
Fruit bodies are soft, gelatinous, whitish, up to 2.5 cm (1 in) across, and lobed. Microscopically, the basidia are tremelloid (subglobose, with oblique to vertical septa), 4-celled, 13 to 18 by 9 to 16 μm. The basidiospores are ellipsoid, smooth, 7 to 10 by 6 to 7 μm.

Similar species
Tremella subfibulifera, also described from Brazil, appears macroscopically identical but differs microscopically in having slightly smaller basidiospores (5.5 to 10 by 4 to 6 μm). DNA sequencing has shown that it is a distinct species. Several other species, including Tremella olens and Tremella neofibulifera, are macroscopically similar and belong within the T. fibulifera complex, but occur in Asia or Australia.

Habitat and distribution
Tremella fibulifera is a parasite on lignicolous fungi, but its host species is unknown, though collections have been noted on pyrenomycetes. It is found on dead, attached or fallen branches of broad-leaved trees.

The species is currently known from Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Panama, Venezuela (as T. olens), and Jamaica (as T. olens).