Ebony cup

''Pseudoplectania nigrella'', commonly known as the ebony cup, the black false plectania, or the hairy black cup, is a species of fungi in the family Sarcosomataceae. The fruit bodies of this saprobic fungus are small blackish cups, typically up to 2 cm broad, that grow in groups on soil, often amongst pine needles and short grass near coniferous trees. ''Pseudoplectania nigrella'' has a worldwide distribution, and has been found in North America, the Caribbean, Britain, Europe, India, Madagascar, New Zealand, and Japan. The fungus produces a unique chemical compound, plectasin, that has attracted research interest for its ability to inhibit the growth of the common human pathogenic bacterium ''Streptococcus pneumoniae''.