Thank you to Orthotrichum@Flickr of Ohio, USA, for sharing today's photograph with us (original image via Botany Photo of the Day Flickr Pool). Much appreciated!
As noted by Orthotrichum@Flickr in the comments accompanying the photograph, Urnula craterium is known commonly as devil's urn or black tulip fungus. The name Urnula translates to "little urn" (note: this does not apply to the name "Ursula"). The appearance of the fruiting body of this species signals springtime in eastern North America (and, I'll guess, Europe and eastern Asia, where it also occurs). The preferred substrate is hardwood, particularly oak, buried by thick duff or soil.
Additional photographs of this saprobe can be found via Michael Kuo's MushroomExpert.com site: Urnula craterium.
Since someone always asks -- it is not recommended for consumption due to the texture.
Thanks!
I often wondered what those weird things were.
Daniel, are you quite sure about Ursula?
;>)
Fascinating!
Google disables display of a page under copyright if it's been viewed too many times, Daniel. =(
Funky! I actually think I have seen these on a few walks in Georgia woods???
In San Jose we have seen a related cup fungus this February and March. It is most likely Peziza vesiculosa and forms tan colored cups that appear somewhat spongy compared to the Urnula in the photo. Peziza seems to like composted horse piles as a growing medium.
Thanks Eric, I didn't know that.
ah well now we can see what the little folk
like to pour thier drinks in and sit and sup
thank you the links are just fine
Ursula means "little bear" 8-)
thanks for that one, Orthotrichum and Daniel.
I first found these while living in Tennessee and never thought to see them again.........but this spring I found them here in Kansas! Such a beautifully textured fungus when very fresh...with the insides covered in their dark browh spore. A fun thing to do if you get the chance is to BLOW into those cups...and watch the spore puff out! (make sure your face isn't close though ~cough~) Good to see more fungi in the Photo of the Day forum!
Richard - we had that fungus everywhere in San Francisco this year too! Friends in Berkeley also reported it to be common there. I think the wet winter after four drier years woke them up regionwide.
Here's a photo of it in Buena Vista Park in San Francisco:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ericinsf/4353611341/
I think these are the little mushrooms I used to find in fields as a kid in New Brunswick where they grew in my school yard. We used to call them puff balls or more crudely, stink bombs, which always confused me because they don't stink at all. However, if you step on or pinch the immature fungi it shoots out its spores!