Is this a Peziza?

[SheffieldLass]

Ok so I've done the microscopy but still can't pin this one down . On a woodchip pile (Picea and Betula), without an obvious stipe.



I checked to see whether the asci tips went blue in Melzers. At first I thought not, indeed for quite a while I thought not (hence my naming of the micro pics ). Then I spotted on a few a very faint line of blue at the ends, so assumed they must be Peziza after all.

In Melzers

Paraphyses are simple, very slightly swollen at the tips. Asci 245-275 X 9-13um. Mature released spores (15.3) 15.7-17.2 (17.6) x (9.6) 10.0-11.5 (12.2)um Qav 1.5. Without guttules, smooth.



Peziza micropus seemed the most likely contender but the spores of mine are considerably wider, outside the range quoted. And spores too short for P megalochondra, and no yellowing of paraphyses tips seen, and cells of fruit body certainly not reaching 200+ um. And as the spores averaged 16.5um, too small I'd have thought for P ampliata.

I'm assuming that the faint blueing indicates it is Peziza, though it is very minimal compared with Peziza badia, which I found a day later, on disturbed, wet soil in another part of the forest.

Peziza badia asci tips blueing strongly in Melzers, by comparison.

So over to you, Chris Any ideas on this one?

Melanie

[SheffieldLass]

I think I've solved this one. Another had shown up, and this one's asci tips were much more noticeably blue in Melzers, but in the same position as the first.



The spores also came within Peziza micropus range.
(14.2) 14.8 - 16.2 (16.4) x (8.7) 8.9-9.8 (10.0) um Qav 1.7

This one was slightly paler in colour, but it was younger and wetter. But the general jizz of the micro details are so similar that I'm confident that they are the same species.

Melanie