Monday 4 April 2016

Something in the flowerbed

Something caught my eye as I walked up the garden path this evening. Something in this flowerbed:

In preparation for planting a row of young Blackthorn whips here last winter, we'd dug a barrow-load of peat-free compost into this bed. And, following a few heavy April showers, it seems this compost is providing some prime habitat for another species...

This cup fungus has sprung up all along the length of the bed:

The fruiting bodies vary in size from about one to five centimetres across and all share this rounded shape, with a narrow opening at the top. The upper surface, around the opening, is ever-so-slightly pimply-looking; like it's got little brown goosebumps. When you break it open, the inner surface is the same colour as the outer surface, but forms a separate layer with a slightly smoother texture.

It doesn't have much of a stem to speak of.


Having consulted with the Collins Complete (photographic) Guide and the Collins (illustrated) Fungi Guide, I'm going to take a punt on this being Blistered Cup Peziza vesiculosa:


"Distinguished by its clustered, blister-like growth. Fruits year-round. FRUIT BODY To 8cm across; initially deep cup- or goldfish bowl-shaped with a strongly inrolled margin, but expanding to saucer-shaped with the margin splitting and becoming ragged or blistered; inner surface yellowish brown with a smooth texture; outer surface similar in colour and finely granular. HABITAT Typically in tight, fused clusters on straw, manure, compost and rich soil, and increasingly on woodchip mulch. STATUS Widespread and common."
For the record
Date: 04/04/2016
Location: Small Dole
Grid reference: TQ2112
Entered into FRDBI: 13/02/2017