
Purple Jellydisc - Ascocoryne sarcoides
Beautiful reddish purple fruiting bodies that were 0.5-1.5 cm wide. Some were flat and disc-shaped, while others were cup-shaped.
Habitat: Growing on a very rotten log in a mixed forest.
Notes: This fungus contains the bioactive, antibiotic compound ascocorynin, which has been shown to inhibit the growth of several Gram-positive bacteria.

"Ascocoryne sarcoides" is a species of fungus in the Helotiaceae family. Formerly known as "Coryne sarcoides", its taxonomical history has been complicated by the fact that it may adopt both sexual and asexual forms. Colloquially known as jelly drops or the purple jellydisc, this common fungus appears as a gelatinous mass of pinkish or purple-colored discs.