Humaria hemisphaerica
Species of fungus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Humaria hemisphaerica is a species of fungus in the family Pyronemataceae. In the UK it has the recommended English name of glazed cup;[1] in North America it has been called the hairy fairy cup[2] or the brown-haired fairy cup.[3] Ascocarps (fruit bodies) are cup-shaped and can be recognized by their smooth, white inner surface and hairy, brown outer surface. The species occurs in Europe and North America.
| Humaria hemisphaerica | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Pezizomycetes |
| Order: | Pezizales |
| Family: | Pyronemataceae |
| Genus: | Humaria |
| Species: | H. hemisphaerica |
| Binomial name | |
| Humaria hemisphaerica (F.H. Wigg.) Fuckel (1870) | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Peziza hemisphaerica | |
| Humaria hemisphaerica | |
|---|---|
| Mycological characteristics | |
 | Smooth hymenium |
 | Hymenium attachment is not applicable |
| Lacks a stipe |
 | Ecology is mycorrhizal |
 | Edibility is inedible |
Taxonomy
This species was originally described in 1780 by German mycologist Friedrich Heinrich Wiggers as Peziza hemisphaerica. Elias Magnus Fries placed it within the Lachnea series, a name he applied to cup fungi with hairy apothecia.[4] In 1870 Leopold Fuckel transferred P. hemisphaerica to the genus Humaria.[5]
The specific epithet is derived from the Latin word hemisphaericum, meaning half a sphere.
Description
Humaria hemisphaerica has fruiting bodies (apothecia) that typically measure 5 to 30 millimetres (1⁄4 to 1+1⁄8 inches) in diameter by 1 to 1.5 cm (3⁄8 to 5⁄8 in) deep.[6] The fruiting bodies are initially spherical and expand to become cuplike at the fungus matures. This species typically does not have a stipe; when it does, it is present as a small abrupt base. The inner surface of the fruiting body (the hymenium) is white, while the outer hairy surface is brown and covered with brown hairs that taper to a sharp point. These hairs are 400–500 x 15–20 μm. The ascospores are elliptical, hyaline, 20–22 x 10–11 μm, and have 2–3 oil droplets.[7]
Similar species
Similar species of Humaria may exist in North America, but are not circumscribed.[8]
There are several other similar cup fungi in the Pyronemataceae family with hairy exteriors. Jafnea semitotsa is larger (2–5 cm in diameter) with a brown interior and a short stipe.[2] The cups of Trichophaea species are usually less than 1 cm across;[8] Trichophaea boudieri and T. bullata are 1–6 millimetres wide, and T. abundans prefers to grow in burnt areas.[2] Chaetothiersia vernalis grows in a more disclike form, and Wilcoxina rehmii produces tiny discs.[8]
Distribution and habitat
Toxicity
The fungus is inedible.[3]