Bird's Nest Fungus

This fungus looks like tiny birds' nests! The fruiting body "nests" contain spore-filled periodoles ("eggs"). The nests, called peridia, serve as splash cups, and when raindrops strike the nest, the periodoles are projected into the air where they latch onto branches, leaves, etc. The nests were only 1-3mm wide.

comments (3)

Stephen Philips

Lion

This is a crazy fungi! It actually had a lid atop the cup? Posted 7 years ago
1. Christine Young
  
  Lion
  
  Totally crazy fungus. You can actually pull the eggs out with forceps and they have little strings attached to the bottoms of them that hold them in place. It did have a lid - a weird, fuzzy one. I'll post a picture. Posted 7 years ago
2. 1. Christine Young
    
    Lion
    
    https://www.jungledragon.com/image/57494/birds_nest_fungus_with_lid.html/zoom Posted 7 years ago

The Common Bird's Nest Fungus

Crucibulum laeve is probably the most common and frequently encountered bird's nest fungus in temperate North America. Three features serve to identify it successfully: its yellowish colors; the "lid" over the nest (in young specimens), covering the eggs; and the tiny cords that attach the eggs to the nest.

Info 26 0

Similar species: Agaricales

Species identified by Christine Young