This photo was taken in the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park on Grand Cayman Island (2007). Any assistance in identifying it would be greatly appreciated. If the image doesn't attach property try this link instead - http://www.redbubble.com/people/shannonplummer/art/701855-2-lit-from-within Regards, Shannon Plummer
Wow - gorgeous! It looks like a jelly fungi, like Dacrymyces or Calocera. I haven't seen anything like this in my area, but I think you could rule out the the corals, clubs and earth tongues of similar appearance, as your fungus is growing on/in wood. And as this really looks more jelly-fungi-gelatinous. Jellys are generally parasitic on other fungi, slime moulds etc, on or in wood. They have a very interesting lifestyle :-). If/when you do positively identify this, I hope you will post the answer here!
Frog, Thank you for the info. I have no idea about fungi so I appreciate you narrowing it down for me. I certainly will post the positive identification once confirmed. Thanks again. Shannon
Shannon, nice photos. It is quite possible that the beautiful tropical species that you show is undescribed (considering the place where it was collected). Or, if described, it will definitely require a little bit more than looking at the picture to put a good name. What can probably be said, looking at the photo is that you have something in the Jelly Fungi group and probably falls in the Genus Calocera. Compare to these photos here (from California) http://mushroomhobby.com/Gallery/Coral/index.htm#Calocera_cornea Best, D. www.mushroomhobby.com
I've not seen anything like it in the many, many guides I've looked through as well, and given beauty of it, I would think it would be among those featured for inclusion in any guide that could justify it's presence. For that reason alone I would hang on to those photos real tight wth a hope that it's something yet undescribed. Gorgeous!