Humaria hemisphaerica
Description
Humaria hemisphaerica is a species of fungi in the family Pyronemataceae. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin word hemisphaericum, meaning half a sphere.
This mushroom reaches a width of 2 or 3 cm. It has a whitish or pale bluish upper surface and a brown outer surface that is entirely covered with stiff, brown hairs.
Humaria hemisphaerica is widely distributed, growing on soil and, less frequently, on well-rotted wood solitary, scattered, or in groups on the ground or sometimes on rotten wood in wooded areas.
Patella albida and Humaria hemispherica (without the a) are synonyms.
Common names: Hairy Fairy Cup, Brown-Haired Fairy Cup.
Mushroom Identification
Ecology
Mycorrhizal with hardwoods (but sometimes growing on the well-decayed deadwood of hardwoods); growing alone or gregariously; summer and fall; widely distributed in North America.
Fruiting Body
Goblet shaped when young, becoming more broadly cup-shaped and reaching widths of 2-3 cm when mature; upper surface white or pale bluish, fairly smooth; undersurface densely hairy with prominent hairs that extend above the margin of the cup, brown; without a stem; odor none; flesh brownish or pale, brittle.
Microscopic Features
Spores 20-24 x 10-12 µ; elliptical, often with somewhat flattened ends; usually with two oil droplets that break up at maturity; smooth in KOH, but warty or roughened-asperulate in Melzer's reagent. Asci eight-spored; tips not bluing in Melzer's reagent. Paraphyses filiform with clavate apices; hyaline in KOH; septate. Hairs brown in KOH; frequently septate; smooth; thick-walled; 7.5-12.5 µ wide; apices sharpened to a point.
Look-Alikes
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Is larger (2–5 cm diameter) with a brown interior and a short stipe.
Trichophaea boudieri and Trichophaea bullata
Smaller (1–6 mm diameter).
Trichophaea abundans
Another small species prefers to grow in burned areas.
Photo sources:
Photo 1 - Author: Björn S. (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Photo 2 - Author: Holger Krisp (CC BY 3.0)
