a member of any of three orders (Auriculariales, Tremellales, and Dacrymycetales) of basidiomycetous fungi that grow on trees and have a jelly-like consistency when wet. They include the conspicuous yellow brain fungus (Tremella mesenterica), the black witch's butter (Exidia plana), and the pinky-red jew's- ear (Auricularia auricula-judae)