Habitat
This species grows on the woody debris, branches, and twigs of hardwood trees. It is found solitary, scattered, or in small groups, with a particular affinity for hardwoods such as live oak, California bay laurel, bigleaf maple, and cottonwood.
Photos
Appearance
- Fruit body
- Measures 2 to 5 cm wide; initially cup-shaped with an inward-curving edge, later expanding into a broader cup with wavy or irregular margins.
- Upper surface
- Smooth and brilliant scarlet red.
- Underside
- Colored whitish, pinkish, or pale red with a finely hairy texture.
- Stem
- Short, whitish, and tapering toward the base; located centrally or sometimes missing entirely.
- Flesh
- Thin, brittle, and red in color.
- Odor
- Not distinctive.
- Taste
- Not distinctive.
Sporecast is better in the app
Plan ahead with 10-day forecasts, see what people are finding nearby, get photo IDs, and track your finds.
Edibility
This mushroom has an indistinct taste and odor. It is generally unmistakable, though it can be distinguished from Scutellinia species by its larger size and the absence of dark eyelash-like hairs around the margin. It also differs from Pseudaleuria quinaultiana, which is more orange-red with a felt-like underside.
Misidentification can be fatal. Never eat a mushroom unless you're 100% sure. This information may be inaccurate. Always consult multiple sources.
Nutrient Source
SaprotrophicIt obtains nutrients by decomposing dead organic matter, such as fallen branches and leaves.
Common Names
- Danish
- Skarlagen-pragtbæger
- English
- Ruby Elfcup, Scarlet Elfcup
- French
- Pézize écarlate
- Scottish Gaelic
- cupa dearg a' mhàileachain, cupannan dearg a' mhàileachain
- Welsh
- Coron Borffor
Synonyms
- Aleuria insolita
- Calycina cyathoides
- Elvella coccinea
- Geopyxis bloxamii
- Geopyxis coccinea
- Geopyxis coccinea
- Geopyxis insolita
- Geopyxis pseudoaurantia
- Helvella coccinea
- Helvella coccinea
- Lachnea coccinea
- Lachnea coccinea
- Macroscyphus coccineus
- Molliardiomyces eucoccineus
- Molliardomyces coccinea
- Octospora coccinea
- Octospora cyathoides
- Peziza coccinea
- Peziza coccinea
- Peziza coccinea
- Peziza cyathoides
- Peziza epidendra
- Peziza insolita
- Peziza pseudoaurantia
- Plectania coccinea
- Plectania coccinea
- Sarcoscypha coccinea — Ruby Elfcup
- Sarcoscypha coccinea
- Sarcoscypha coccinea — Scarlet Elfcup
- Scypharia coccinea