Leotia lubrica Pers.

Common name: Jelly Babies.

Description: The entire fungus is extremely gelatinous, viscid and slippery. The cap section is greenish brown to olive-green and is up to 23.5 (5) cm in diameter. The cap shape is more or less rounded, but the cap is usually contorted, folded and undulate with the lower margins turned into the stem. The stem is 610 cm tall and 812 mm thick, cylindrical and light yellow to golden yellow; it may be covered in tiny powdery particles.

The spores measure 1624 × 56 µm, are long-ellipsoidal, smooth, usually with septa and are colourless but white in mass.

Substratum: This species is always found on soil among moss or litter. Damp locations are often favoured. It may occur in twos and threes but it is often found in small clusters.

Distribution: Known from New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia. Queensland records are uncertain.

Notes: This species is very difficult to gather if a single, undamaged specimen is required because the slippery, gelatinous fruiting body makes it very difficult to hold. It has an almost world-wide distribution and is well known in Europe.