26 February 2026 Tilford, Surrey. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. Common Name Scarlet elf cup Fruiting Body Cup shaped, inner surface smooth, scarlet, outer surface whitish to pinkish, attached to the substrate by a thick stem, to about 5cm across Flesh White, with a thin red layer inside the cup, firm, tough Smell Indistinct Taste Indistinct Season Winter to early spring Distribution Frequent to common. This is a common species in Hampshire. Unfortunately it is often confused with Sarcoscypha coccinea. Habitat On dead wood from deciduous trees, usually on wood in contact with soil in damp woods Spore Print White Microscopic Features Spores ellipsoidal, often with flattened or indented ends, with multiple oil drops (26-40) x (12-15) µm2. Excipular hairs (those on the outside surface of the cup) curly. Edibility Edible Notes Austriaca means 'originating from Austria'. Microscopy is required to separate this fungus from Sarcoscypha coccinea. S. austriaca is believed to be the more common species. For a key see Field Mycology 3 (1) page 13. S. coccinea has spores with rounded ends, and excipular hairs that are +/- straight. The excipular hairs are easily scraped off the cap with a knife or small tool for subsequent examination with a microsope. 
6 March 2026 Tickley, Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. 
Spores in Congo Red solution viewed with a 100X immersion objective. 6 March 2026 Tickley, Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. 
Excipular hairs in Congo Red solution viewed with a 40X objective. 6 March 2026 Tickley, Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. 
10 March 2022 Tilford, Surrey. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. 
10 March 2022 Tilford, Surrey. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. 
10 March 2022 Tilford, Surrey. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. 
Spores in Congo Red solution viewed with a 100X immersion objective. 10 March 2022 Tilford, Surrey. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. 
Excipular hairs in Congo Red solution viewed with a 40X objective. 10 March 2022 Tilford, Surrey. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. 
9 February 2008 Berkshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. 
21 February 2009 Surrey. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. 
9 February 2008 Berkshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. 
9 February 2008 Berkshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. 
January 2001 Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. 
Spores viewed with a 100X immersion objective. 18 January 2014 Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. 
Excipular hairs viewed with a 40X objective. 21 February 2009 Surrey. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. |