id dainty red fungus on cowpat please

[Rambling Rob]

By evening sunshine this dainty red fungus shone out from a cowpat on Morton Marsh, IoW today - anyone know it?

Very small, the largest cup perhaps 0.6cm across. Wish I'd had something with me to take a sample..



Thanks for looking,
Rob

[Lancashire Lad]

It may be another one that needs microscopy to be certain, but it looks like Cheilymenia fimicola.

Regards,
Mike.

[Jason Claxton]

An Eyelash Fungus Scutellinia scutellata


Cheers Jason.

[Jason Claxton]

Um...I'll blame tired eyes,so there are a few with eyelashes on then Mike?

[Lancashire Lad]

Originally Posted by Jason Claxton

Um...I'll blame tired eyes,so there are a few with eyelashes on then Mike?

Hi Jason, There are several Scutellinia species, but they are generally found on rotting wood or soil.

I've never seen any on dung. But Cheilymenia is a dung substrate specialist.

I initially thought this was Coprobia granulata = Cheilymenia granulata, but since it isn't showing any granules on the margin of the fruitbody, it may be C.fimicola

But then again, there are several Cheilymenia's, and I'm no expert, so it might be something totally different.

Regards,
Mike.

[Rambling Rob]

Thanks guys,

I have never seen or heard of these fungi before. I note that C. fimicola has pale hairs at the margins and grows on dung, whereas S. scutellata has dark hairs and grows on other rotting materials, but appreciate that closer examination is needed than a snapshot.

At the time my boots were sinking in the marsh and the camera was half an inch away above the dung!

All the best,
Rob

[Jason Claxton]

Well I've learnt a few things there,furthermore I've learnt that my trusty R.Philips doesn't have Cheilymenia in it(unless there are synonyms).I should of guessed it wouldn't be that easy.Well a glass of milk and pat on the head for me then.

Cheers Jason

[flaxton]

It could also be Cheilymenia stercorea
Mal

[Leif]

If you check Fungi of Switzerland or Ellis and Ellis, or other works, you'll discover just how many small cup fungi there are. The problem with Phillips and other popular guides is they rarely tell you if there are lookalikes, and there are more fungi not in Phillips than in it. In this case a magnifying glass is helpful, but a microscope is essential. Sadly.

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by Jason Claxton

Um...I'll blame tired eyes,so there are a few with eyelashes on then . . . . ?

yes - around 25 Scutellinia species have been recorded for Britain, and they're not easy - even with a microscope and access to Schumacher's (not that one) 100-plus-page monograph

this is definitely a Cheilymenia though, far fewer species, but you do need to see details of the hairs to name it with certainty

Chris