Terana Caerulea

Marion and Judith found this fungus today while we were out cutting back vegetation on the Sussex Border Path. From photos on the internet I am pretty sure that it is Terana Caerulea or Coerulea. At first we didn't think it was natural as the colour was so intense but it is also known as Cobalt Crust Fungus and that was the perfect description of the colour. Apparently it is a saprobic crust fungus found on the underside of logs and deciduous trees in damp (certainly that) hardwood forests. It was name fungus of the year in 2009 by the German Mycological Society! It is the source of an antibiotic named cortalcerone which inhibits the growth of strep. pyogenes.