FRUIT BODY: 6 - 8mm wide (per fruit body), up to 7mm high. Each fruit body is a small tea-cup shape the outside of which is dark to reddish-brown and covered in tufts or coarse hairs. The inner surface is fluted and longitudinally striped with alternate bands of grey brown and off-white. The upper surface is covered in a membrane (epiphragm) when young which breaks open at maturity revealing the greyish-white eggs at the bottom of the cup. Each egg (also known as a peridiole) is oval to angular and is attached to the base of the cup by fine mycelial strands. Also known as 'Splash Cups' which relates to the way any falling drops of water can dislodge the fertile peridioles. GILLS/PORES: N/A. FLESH: Soft. SPORES: Hyaline, smooth, ovoid. HABITAT: A saprophyte on the organic debris of a variety of trees and shrubs. SEASON: Infrequent. Spring to autumn. EDIBILITY: Inedible. |
