Description Sarcoscypha coccinea

the stalks , outer surface lighter in color interior.

sarcoscypha coccinea 1 of several fungi fruit bodies have been noted make puffing sound—an audible manifestation of spore-discharge thousands of asci simultaneously explode release cloud of spores.

spores 26–40 10–12 µm, elliptical, smooth, hyaline (translucent), , have small lipid droplets concentrated @ either end. droplets refractive light , visible light microscopy. in older, dried specimens (such herbarium material), droplets may coalesce , hinder identification of species. depending on geographical origin, spores may have delicate mucilaginous sheath or envelope ; european specimens devoid of envelope while specimens north america invariably have one.

the asci long , cylindrical, , taper short stem-like base; measure 300–375 14–16 µm. although in pezizales of ascospores formed simultaneously through delimitation inner , outer membrane, in s. coccinea ascospores located in basal parts of ascus develop faster. paraphyses (sterile filamentous hyphae present in hymenium) 3 µm wide (and thickened @ apex), , contain red pigment granules.

anamorph form

anamorphic or imperfect fungi seem lack sexual stage in life cycle, , typically reproduce process of mitosis in structures called conidia. in cases, sexual stage—or teleomorph stage—is later identified, , teleomorph-anamorph relationship established between species. international code of nomenclature algae, fungi, , plants permits recognition of 2 (or more) names 1 , same organism, 1 based on teleomorph, other(s) restricted anamorph. name of anamorphic state of s. coccinea molliardiomyces eucoccinea, first described marin molliard in 1904. molliard found growth of conidia resemble of genera coryne , chlorosplenium rather pezizaceae, , considered suggested affinity between sarcoscypha , family helvellaceae. in 1972, john w. paden again described anamorph, molliard, failed give complete description of species. in 1984, paden created new genus named molliardiomyces contain anamorphic forms of several sarcoscypha species, , set molliardiomyces eucoccinea type species. form produces colorless conidiophores (specialized stalks bear conidia) irregularly branched, measuring 30–110 3.2–4.7 µm. conidia ellipsoidal egg-shaped, smooth, translucent (hyaline), , 4.8–16.0 2.3–5.8 µm; tend accumulate in mucilaginous masses .

similar species

similar species include s. dudleyi , s. austriaca, , in literature, confusion amongst 3 common. examination of microscopic features required definitively differentiate between species. sarcoscypha occidentalis has smaller cups (0.5–2.0 cm wide), more pronounced stalk 1–3 cm long, , smooth exterior surface. unlike s. coccinea, found in new world , in east , midwest north america, not in far west. occurs in central america , caribbean. in north america, s. austriaca , s. dudleyi found in eastern regions of continent. s. dudleyi has elliptical spores rounded ends 25–33 12–14 µm , sheathed when fresh. s. austriaca has elliptical spores 29–36 12–15 µm not sheathed when fresh, have small polar caps on either end. macaronesian species s. macaronesica, misidentified s. coccinea, has smaller spores, typically measuring 20.5–28 7.3–11 µm , smaller fruit bodies—up 2 cm (0.8 in) wide.