Peziza varia

Description

Peziza varia is a species of apothecial fungus belonging to the family Pezizaceae.

This cup-shaped fungus is mainly brown and distinguished by having flesh in layers (visible with a handlens). The fruit body grows to 5-6cm and can be solitary and found in small groups. The inner surface is smooth and brown, the outer surface is pale, often almost white.

This species is rather similar to some other members of the genus but can usually be distinguished by the distinctly layered flesh seen when a specimen is cut.

Common names: Layered Cup.

Mushroom Identification

1. Sporocarp

   Apothecium 5.0-10.0 (12.0) cm broad, sessile, cup-shaped, often irregular in outline, eventually spreading; margin incurved, then upright, finally level to recurved, crenate to lacerate; hymenium concave, even to wrinkled or furrowed, glabrous, light brown to chestnut-brown, sometimes tinged reddish-brown; exterior surface white to ash-gray, finely tomentose to furfuraceous; context thin, brittle, colored like the surface; odor and taste mild.

2. Spores

   Spores 16.0-18.0 x 9.0-11.0 µm, ellipsoid, smooth, thin-walled lacking oil droplets; spores white in deposit.

3. Habitat

   Scattered to clustered on well-rotted logs, sawdust, or near decaying wood chips; fruiting throughout the mushroom season; widely distributed and common.

4. Similar Species

   There are at least 100 Peziza species and most are various shades of fawn or brown. Definite identification is rarely possible without microscopic examination.

Photo sources:

Photo 1 - Author: Ian Alexander (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Photo 2 - Author: stolbovsky (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Photo 3 - Author: Rick Farwell (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Photo 4 - Author: Holger Krisp (CC BY 3.0)