Purple Jelly Disc is a gelatinous fungus characterised by the disc structure of the fruiting body, with individual discs ranging from 5mm to 5cm in diameter, the colour of which can range from a burgundy red to a deep purple. They can commonly be found on fallen deciduous wood and stumps. it can most commonly be found in autumn but can also be found around other times of year should the conditions be suitable. Purple jelly disc is a saprobic fungus and as such plays a role as a decomposer in the woodland ecosystem, the purple jelly disc is a quite resilient species, often being seen throughout the early winter months as well.

The purple jelly disc exists in two distinct stages, the asexual stage, where the fruiting body presents as clusters of protruding fingers or globules, and the sexual stage, where the fungus produces spores and appears more disc like in structure, I have photos of the jelly disc in its sexual stage.

The fruiting body of the purple jelly disc contains ascocorynin which is a chemical that has been shown to be somewhat anti bacterial, however this topic has not been widely studied as of the current date, interestingly, the fungus also produces a mix of compounds similar to those in diesel fuel, which has lead to research surrounding its use as a possible source of “Bio-Diesel”