Microstoma protractum

What You Should Know

Microstoma protractum is an inedible species of cup fungus in the family Sarcoscyphaceae. The fungus is found in Europe and North America, where it grows as a saprophyte on partially buried sticks and roots.

It was first described as a species of Peziza by Elias Magnus Fries in 1851. American mycologist Bessie B. Kanouse assigned it its current name in 1948.

Microstoma protractum Mushroom Identification

1. Fruiting Bodies

   0.5 - 2.5 cm in diameter, inverted-pear-shaped or inverted-bell-shaped, first rounded, ovoid, closed, later open to cup-shaped, star-shaped breaking into 8 - 12 blades, with age rupture to saucer-shaped, on the stalk. The hymenial layer is smooth, bright red, fades with age, located on the inner surface of the bowl. The outer surface is sterile, hairy, whitish-reddish.

2. Stem

   1 - 6 cm high, 0.2 - 0.5 cm in diameter, whitish, pale pink in the upper part, brownish in the lower part, smoothly passes into the bowl, deeply immersed in the soil, located on the black sclerotia.

3. Flesh

   The flesh is strong, elastic, whitish.

4. Spore Print

   White.

5. Asci

   250-550 * 18-24 microns, cylindrical, 8 spores. Spores 36-40 * 15-17 microns, oblong-spindle-shaped or elliptical, unicellular, with 1 - 4 drops of oil, colorless, located at the top of the asca.

6. Habitat and Distribution

   Grow in March, less often in November and during warm winters, on rotten branches of coniferous and deciduous trees, alone and in small groups.

Microstoma protractum Synonyms

1. Anthopeziza baccata (Fuckel) Wettst., 1885

2. Anthopeziza protracta (Fr.) Nannf., 1949

3. Anthopeziza winteri Wettst., 1885

4. Lachnea mirabilis (I.G.Borshch.) W.Phillips, 1890

5. Microstoma hiemale Bernstein, 1852typus

6. Peziza mirabilis I.G.Borshch., 1857

7. Peziza protracta Fr., 1851basionym

8. Plectania hiemalis (Bernstein) Seaver, 1928

9. Plectania protracta (Fr.) S.Imai, 1938

10. Plectania subfloccosa Hazsl., 1885

11. Sarcoscypha hiemalis (Bernstein) J.Schröt., 1893

12. Sarcoscypha protracta (Fr.) Sacc., 1889

13. Sclerotinia baccata Fuckel, 1870

14. Sclerotinia hiemalis (Bernstein) Fuckel, 1873

15. Scypharia hiemalis (Bernstein) Quél., 1886

Sources:

Photo 1 - Author: Piotr Wróblewski (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International)

Photo 2 - Author: Piotr Wróblewski (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International)

Photo 3 - Author: Piotr Wróblewski (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International)

Photo 4 - Author: Piotr Wróblewski (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International)

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