Fluted Bird's Nest

Stunningly fascinating fruiting bodies that look like bird's nests. The metallic gray "eggs" inside the nests are called peridioles and contain spores. The shaggy, vase-shaped "nests", called peridia, serve as "splash cups" and help with spore dispersal by using the kinetic energy of rain. When raindrops strike the nest, the peridioles are projected into the air where they can then latch onto branches, leaves, etc. The nests were approximately 1cm tall.