Myco Monday: Eyelash Pixie Cup

Scutellinia scutellata

As part of my continuing efforts to serve my vast (imaginary?) readership, and also demonstrate that I can just shut up and blog, I introduce another new and semi-regular feature: Myco Monday. And what better way to start off than with a lurid red wink from a Eyelash Pixie Cup Scutellinia scutellata (L.).

Black 'eyelashes' on margin of cup

Don't expect too much from these posts - just a pretty fungus or two and maybe a comment from the mushroomer's bible - "Mushrooms Demystified" - by David Aurora. In this case he doesn't say much re their edibility "much too puny to be of any importance". That's because they are only about a centimetre in diameter. Although ascomycetes, like the morels, these are not on anyone's list of delectables. I don't know of any insects or mites that eat the Pixie Eyelash Cups either, but you can find them on moist, rotting logs. Although small, they are larger than many cup fungi and always a pleasure to find.