Hymenoscyphus calyculus

Description

Hymenoscyphus calyculus represents a group of closely related, tiny cup fungi that decompose hardwood sticks and twigs. It 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.

Mushroom Identification

1. Fruiting Bodies

   Up to 4 mm in diameter, saucer-shaped, disc-shaped, on the stalk, yellowish, yellow, yellow-orange, mostly clustered, rarely solitary. The hymenial layer is smooth, yellowish, yellow, yellow-reddish, located on the inner surface.

2. Stem

   0.5 - 5 mm high, 0.2 - 0.3 mm in diameter, cylindrical, narrowed down, whitish or yellowish.

3. Asci

   100-120 * 9-10 microns, club-shaped. Spores 15-20 * 4-5 microns.

4. Habitat

   Grows on the branches and leaves of deciduous trees.

Synonyms

1. Actinothyrium caulincola Schwein., 1832

2. Calycella conscripta (P. Karst.) Boud., 1907

3. Calycella conscripta var. alpestris (Rehm) Boud., 1907

4. Calycella conscripta var. caulincola (Rehm) Boud., 1907

5. Erinella calyculus (Fr.) Quél., 1886

6. Helotium calyculus Fr., 1849

7. Helotium conscriptum P. Karst., 1871

8. Helotium conscriptum var. caulincola Rehm, 1885

9. Helotium conscriptum var. oblongisporum Rehm, 1907

10. Helotium virgultorum Fr., 1849

11. Helotium virgultorum var. conigenum Rehm, 1872

12. Helotium virgultorum var. flavescens Stev.

13. Helotium virgultorum var. rubicola Fr., 1849

14. Helotium virgultorum var. rufescens Sacc., 1917

15. Helotium virgultorum var. salicinum Fr., 1849

16. Helotium virgultorum var. spiraeae (Allesch.) Boud., 1907

17. Hymenoscyphus conscriptus (P. Karst.) Korf ex Kobayasi, Hirats. f., Aoshima, Korf, Soneda, Tubaki & Sugiy., 1967

18. Hymenoscyphus infundibulum (Batsch) Kuntze, 1898

19. Hymenoscyphus virgultorum (Fr.) W. Phillips, 1887

20. Peziza calyculus Sowerby, 1797

21. Peziza infundibulum Batsch, 1786

22. Peziza virgultorum Vahl, 1790

23. Phialea calyculus (Fr.) Gillet, 1881

24. Phialea virgultorum (Fr.) Sacc., 1889

25. Phialea virgultorum var. spiraeae Allesch., 1898

Photo sources:

Photo 1 - Author: Lukas Large (Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic)