Sarcoscypha occidentalis

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by Michael Kuo

This tiny scarlet cup fungus is found on hardwood sticks and logs (even on leaf litter) east of the Rocky Mountains, in summer and fall--and occasionally in the spring. In central Illinois its most prolific fruitings are in early summer, just after morel season. Because this mushroom is so tiny, it is easily overlooked or passed off as a piece of brightly colored litter.

Sarcoscypha occidentalis rarely reaches a diameter or more than 2 cm, and has a tiny stem. Other North American species of Sarcoscypha are larger, stemless, and typically fruit in the spring.

Sarcoscypha occidentalis is too small to consider for the table.

Description:

Ecology: Saprobic on decaying hardwood sticks and logs (sometimes on buried sticks, appearing terrestrial--and, apparently, sometimes on leaf litter); summer and fall (sometimes in spring); widely distributed east of the Rocky Mountains.

Fruiting Body: Cup shaped to saucer shaped, minute to 2 cm across; upper surface scarlet red, fading with age, smooth; under surface whitish (but the red color of the upper surface often shows through), smooth; stem 1-3 cm, colored like and continuous with the under surface; flesh thin.

Microscopic Features: Spores 18-20 x 10-12 µ; with two or more oil droplets; not sheathed.

REFERENCES: (Schweinitz, 1832) Cooke, 1879. (Smith, Smith & Weber, 1981; Weber & Smith, 1985; Arora, 1986; Harrington, 1990; Phillips, 1991/2005; Lincoff, 1992; Horn, Kay & Abel, 1993; Barron, 1999; Roody, 2003; Baral, 2004; McNeil, 2006.) Herb. Kuo 05099504, 05250201, 05180404; 05120604; 05290702.

Further Online Information:

Faerie Cups at Tom Volk's Fungi
Sarcoscypha occidentalis at Roger's Mushrooms

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Cite this page as:

Kuo, M. (2004, June). Sarcoscypha occidentalis. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/sarcoscypha_occidentalis.html