Bird's Nest Fungi - Crucibulum laeve
The caps were still on these nests, but I pulled one off to see what it looked like inside - it was very gooey.
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 1 -5 mm wide.
Habitat: Spotted growing on wood chips throughout a rural garden.
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.
