Ruby Elf Cup

Coccinea has been known by many names.

Ruby elf cup. The ruby elf cup is more likely to be mistaken but is much more rare than the scarlet elf cup. Small bright red cups with short stems appear in late winter and spring on twigs and branches. More common in areas of higher rainfall. It is widespread but scarce and can be found on fallen twigs and branches particularly in areas with higher rainfall.

Almost identical and edible ruby elfcup sarcosypha coccinea although several different sources confuse the two. It is also more orange than red and does look remarkably like orange peel so much so that some mycologists have been known to. Both of them are generally reckoned to be edible and their vivid red colour serves to distinguish them from anything else. As its name suggests the ruby elfcup is a bright red cup shaped fungus.

Indeed the edibility of scarlet elf cups is disputed. They are virtually indistinguishable to the naked eye. Sarcocypha coccinea and sarcoscypha austriaca. Sarcoscyphaceae distribution taxonomic history etymology identification culinary notes reference sources.

Sarcoscypha coccinea commonly known as the scarlet elf cup scarlet elf cap or the scarlet cup is a species of fungus in the family sarcoscyphaceae of the order pezizales the fungus widely distributed in the northern hemisphere has been found in africa asia europe north and south america and australia the type species of the genus sarcoscypha s. Scarlet elf cup identification edibility distribution march 2 2013. The cap has microscopic tubes called asci that release the spores from the upper cup of the mushroom. The edge of the cup in the scarlet elf cup has a comb tooth like surface whereas the ruby elf cup has a unevenly thick ridged edge which is more complete than the edge of a scarlet elf cup specimen.

This fungus is uncommon in the uk though reasonably widespread. Sarcoscypha coccinea the ruby elfcup in common with the macroscopically almost identical scarlet elfcup sarcoscypha austriaca appears in winter on dead twigs. Very similar in appearance to the scarlet elf cup sarcosypha austriaca. Orange peel fungus grows in a different habitat mainly being found on bare soil or amongst grass in lawns or at roadsides.

Both these species are variously referred to as scarlet or crimson elf cups. Scarlet elf cup sarcoscypha coccinea is virtually indistinguishable from the similar ruby elf cup sarcoscypha austriaca without microscopy. The scarlet elfcup is very similar in appearance to the ruby elfcup sarcoscypha coccinea although the latter is slightly smaller and deeper red in comparison.