Geopora sumneriana

Pale cream to light greyish beige on the smooth inner (hymenial or spore-bearing) surface, Cedar Cups develop over several months as underground spheres before breaking through the surface of the soil and splitting open in the form of typically 5 to 8 irregular rays. Up to 5cm tall, the cups are typically 5 to 7cm across when fully open.

The specimen shown here is not yet fully mature, and its star-like rays will fold back further to create a broader, shallower cup with a crown-like rim.

Like most cup fungi the flesh of the Cedar Cup is quite brittle.

Varying in colour from orange-brown to reddish-brown, the outer surface is infertile and covered in short, curly brown hairs. (The spores are produced on the shiny inner surface of the cup.)

Asci:

Typically 370µm x 19µm, with eight spores per ascus.

Spores:

Ellipsoidal-fusiform, smooth, 27-37 x 13-16µm; each usually containing two large oil drops.

Spore print:

White