Honghe Wood Ear

Honghe Wood Ear

　　Wood ear, also known as black fungus or glossy fungus, is classified in the phylum Basidiomycota, order Auriculariales, and family Auriculariaceae. There are eight species in China, seven of which are found in Yunnan. It is distributed across prefectures and cities such as Wenshan, Honghe, Baoshan, Dehong, Lijiang, Dali, Xishuangbanna, and Qujing, making it one of China’s major wood ear production areas, ranking second in national output. It grows on decaying wood of over 120 broadleaf tree species, including oak, poplar, banyan, and pagoda tree, either singly or in clusters.

The fruiting body of the wood ear is gelatinous, forming a round or irregular ear-shaped structure with a diameter of 3–12 centimeters. When fresh, it is soft, but becomes leathery when dried. It has a delicate texture and unique flavor, and is a highly nutritious and well-known edible fungus. It contains carbohydrates, 10.6 grams of protein, 0.2 grams of fat, 306 joules of energy, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. It has health benefits such as boosting energy, curbing hunger, promoting lightness and mental clarity, stopping bleeding and relieving pain, enriching blood, and improving circulation. Rich in polysaccharide colloids, it has excellent cleansing effects and is an important health food for miners and textile workers. It also has certain anti-cancer properties and can help treat cardiovascular diseases.