About this fungus
Orange Peel Fungus is a fungus in the Pyronemataceae family. Its habitat and field characteristics are summarised below.
A bright orange cup fungus that can resemble pieces of orange peel scattered over bare ground. Young cups are rounded, then flatten and develop wavy or split margins as they grow.
What to check
Check for a smooth orange inner surface, a paler outer surface with fine down, thin brittle flesh and no stem, ring or volva. It usually grows directly from bare or recently disturbed soil. These field characters support the identification, but microscopy may be needed where several orange cup fungi occur together.
Lookalikes
Other orange cup fungi can overlap in colour and shape. Scutellinia species are normally much smaller and have conspicuous dark hairs around the rim. Sarcoscypha species are usually scarlet, often have a short attachment point and grow from buried or exposed dead wood. Substrate, outer-surface hairs and microscopic features are more useful than colour alone.
Habitat and range
Saprotrophic on bare, compacted or disturbed soil, including paths, tracks, banks, gardens and recently worked ground. It is recorded across temperate parts of Europe, North America and other regions, so the habitat clues are not limited to Britain.
Food safety
Edible.
Use this profile to learn what to examine and compare, not as proof that a mushroom is safe to eat. Check the whole specimen and every important lookalike before reaching an identification.
Photographs
born1945 / CC BY-SA 2.0
Jerzy Opioła / CC BY-SA 3.0