Green Elfcup Chlorociboria sp

Scientific Name: Chlorociboria sp (Ascomycetes).

English Name: Green Elfcup; Green Cup (Cup and flask fungi).

French Name: Pézize turquoise (='turquoise peel fungus'); Pézize bleu-vert (='blue-green peel fungus'); Pézize vert-de-gris (='verdigris peel fungus').

5 Key Characters:

• most visible sign is green stained wood.
• fruiting bodies seen much more rarely.
• fruiting bodies goblet shaped on short stem, flattening with age and developing wavy edges.
• upper surface of 'cup' bright green and smooth, underneath felty and pale blue green (darkening with age).
• found on bark free dead wood.

Lookalikes: There are two species occuring in the Touraine. C. aeruginascens and C. aeruginosa are impossible to separate in the field. C. aeruginascens is more common. Aeruginascens means 'becoming blue-green'.

Habitat: Bark free dead wood, especially Oak Quercus spp, Beech Fagus sylvaticus and Hazel Corylus avellana.

Fruiting Period: September-October-November-December-January-February. Green staining can be seen at any time.

Status: Wood infected with this fungus has been used decoratively by furniture makers for centuries. Widespread and common.

Edible or Toxic: Not worth eating.

Photographed by Loire Valley Nature: