Hymenoscyphus calyculus

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by Michael Kuo

This little guy represents a group of closely related, tiny cup fungi that decompose hardwood sticks and twigs. Hymenoscyphus calyculus is bright yellow, helping to separate it from many of its brethren, and it has a well developed--though very tiny--stem. It could easily be confused with Bisporella citrina, which lacks the stem and usually grows on logs and stumps, rather than twigs and sticks.

Hymenoscyphus conscriptum, treated by some mycologists as a separate species, is nearly identical but features smaller spores (12.5-16 x 3-4 µ) and non-septate paraphyses; it grows exclusively on debris of willows.

Description:

Ecology: Saprobic on sticks and twigs of hardwoods; growing gregariously or in clusters; summer and fall; North American distribution uncertain.

Fruiting Body: Cup shaped to disc shaped; the disc 2-5 mm across; with a tiny, well developed stem; upper surface bright yellow and smooth; underside and stem pale yellow to whitish, smooth or finely downy.

Microscopic Features: Spores 15-24 x 3-4 µ irregularly fusiform; smooth; occasionally septate. Paraphyses thin-cylindric; septate.

REFERENCES: (Sowerby, 1881) W. Phillips, 1887. (Saccardo, 1889; Dennis, 1968; Breitenbach & Kränzlin, 1984; McNeil, 2006.) Herb. Kuo 06150302.

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Cite this page as:

Kuo, M. (2008, October). Hymenoscyphus calyculus. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/hymenoscyphus_calyculus.html