Eyelash Cup Mushrooms
It’s easy to see how this cup fungi gets the common name Eyelash Cup when you get a closeup look at these tiny mushrooms. Dark hairs on the cup’s edge look like eyelashes. Their habit of growing in groups and orange color makes them stand out.
Scutellinia scutellata
A macro view revels the hairs that look like eyelashes. Eyelash cups seem to like cooler temperatures, I find them regularly in the spring and fall.
The trees have dropped most of their leaves and hunting mushrooms has gotten a lot harder. Anything on the forest floor is now pretty much buried and even if a mushroom is ‘visible’ they’re well camouflaged by the colors of the fallen leaves.
Brushing away the leaves revels some mushrooms growing under the litter.
I haven’t tried too hard to identify these. It just gets too frustrating. If you have a clue I’m willing to listen.
Another but not as well hidden group of mushrooms.
Again the identity is anybody’s guess, I’m not going to bang my head trying to name them.
I figured it wasn’t a bad day at all. I actually knew half of the mushrooms I found. The Pear Shaped Puffball photo didn’t come out well enough to use so you won’t see it here.
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October 16th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
Wonderful! The images are excellent!
October 16th, 2009 at 2:44 pm
Before I found your site I never knew how interesting mushrooms are. I stop and look at them whenever I go out to the forest now. My only problem is that whenever I get ready to get a picture, a squirrel darts past me and then the chase is on.
October 16th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
The mushrooms are now hidden treasure to you.
The Eyelash Cups seem to be similar to the one I have found at my place.
October 16th, 2009 at 5:44 pm
Are the eyelash mushrooms growing on an old tree stump? I’m curious about the green plant growing with them. Your photographs are far better than the ones in my mushroom guide.I learned long ago that I can’t identify mushrooms but some of them are fascinating to look at.
October 16th, 2009 at 11:36 pm
Loved the orange eyelash cup mushrooms. On close-up, they even had eyelashes on them– or is that more eyelashes?
October 18th, 2009 at 11:53 pm
Does Blotanical have a Mushroom King category?
October 19th, 2009 at 3:23 pm
I’ve never seen mushrooms like this. Very interesting!
October 20th, 2009 at 12:08 am
Very cool! I should go for another walk and see what I can find mushroom-wise. Here, they only grow after the first good rain.
(I’m not sure my photos will turn out as well, though. I’m still wrapping my head around F-Stops and all that stuff. The longer I try to make good photos, the more I appreciate what some other bloggers post.)
October 20th, 2009 at 6:49 am
You know, the weather here has been so crappy for the last couple of weeks I haven’t been out exploring around the woods or fields at all. So once again I have to thank you for pulling me out of my weather-lethargy and making me think about the world we so often take for granted.
October 20th, 2009 at 11:17 pm
Nice! I haven’t spotted the eyelash cups around here as yet. I feel your pain trying to ID all of them, it’s a daunting task (especially the ones with so many similar cousins).
October 25th, 2009 at 1:25 am
I’ve never seen the eyelash ones before! WoW! We have the flabby white ones going on here too, but I don’t know what they are.
October 29th, 2009 at 9:31 am
Where are you?? We’re missing your interesting lively blogs. You had us spoiled for a while with daily blogs! I hope you are doing ok!