Dacrymyces palmatus Orange Jelly
Fruitbodies are 2-6 cm long by 1-3 cm high, slimy, soft, gelatinous, orange to orange-yellow, spatula-shaped at first but becoming lobed or multi-lobed and convoluted. Common and widespread, it fruits on dead conifer logs and stumps. This species can be confused with Witch’s Butter (Tremella mesenterica) but fruits commonly on conifers. It is distinguished microscopically by the tuning-fork basidia. Temella mesenterica fruits on hardwoods and microscopically the basidia are septate.