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Orange Peel fungus


Orange Peel fungus
Photo Information
Copyright: Gert Paassen (Gert-Paassen) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1172 W: 2 N: 4398] (13360)
Genre: Fungi
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-10-13
Categories: Fungi
Exposure: f/22
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-09-22 21:03
Viewed: 1573
Points: 42
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note [Dutch]
Latin name- Aleuria aurantia

Often called the "Orange Peel Fungus," this attractive cup fungus is bright orange, with a fuzzy whitish underside (at least when young). Aleuria aurantia occasionally develops a slit down one side, reminiscent of species of Otidea (see Otidea onotica for an example), but it does not consistently do so, and it is more brightly colored than most Otidea species. Under the microscope, Aleuria aurantia has spores that become marvelously reticulate, clearly separating it from species of Otidea.

Aleuria rhenana is a similar but smaller species that develops a rudimentary stem.

Aleuria aurantia is edible, but not highly rated. I do not recommend it, since some orangish, similar species of Otidea may contain dangerous toxins.

Description:
Ecology: Saprobic, usually growing in clusters on the ground, often in clayey soil or disturbed ground (roadbanks, landscaping areas, and so on); summer and fall (fall and winter in California); widely distributed in North America.

Fruiting Body: Cup-shaped, often becoming flattened or irregularly shaped as a result of the clustered growth habit; reaching widths of 10 cm, but often smaller; bright orange and smooth above; undersurface usually whitish-fuzzy, at least when young, but often orange and more or less smooth; without a stem. Odor none. Flesh orangish; brittle.

Microscopic Features: Spores 18-24 x 9-11 µ (but see note to the right); becoming warted and reticulate by maturity; elliptical; usually with two oil droplets and a prominent apiculus at each end. Asci eight-spored; up to 250 x 15 µ. Paraphyses with swollen and rounded ends, with yellowish to orangish contents in a KOH mount.


Aleuria aurantia, the Orange Peel Fungus, is initially cup shaped but develops into a contorted bowl, often splitting. It is most frequently found on disturbed soil beside woodland paths.
This is the only Elf Cup fungus that is edible; the others are in varying degrees poisonous, although some become edible if thoroughly cooked.
Unfortunately, despite its attractive appearance, the Orange Peel Fungus is not particularly tasty, and so it is rarely used except in small quantities to add colour to salads.

These striking cup fungi vary in colour from pale orange through to a very deep orange-red inside the cup, while the outer surface is paler and covered in a very fine down.

The cups are initially round but soon develop wavy margins and have a tendency to split.
Up to 10 cm across, but more commonly 3 to 6 cm, they are shiny on the inside (hymenial or spore-bearing) surface and downy on the outside.

The cup is typically 2 to 4 cm tall and is attached to the soil by mycelial threads and without a visible stipe.
The pale outer surface is infertile; the spores are produced on the shiny inner surface of the cup.

Spore print White.
Odour/taste Not distinctive.
Habitat On and beside disturbed paths, particularly on gravelly soil.
Season August to early November.
Occurrence Frequent
Similar species Sarcoscypha coccinea, the Scarlet Elf Cup, is bright red and grows on dead trigs and branches, often within hedgerows.
Argus, Ishi, boreocypriensis, gracious, haraprasan, sandpiper2, jconceicao, fungiman, techranger, CeltickRanger, eqshannon, jaycee, extramundi, uleko, LordPotty, jpdenk, Hormon_Manyer has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Hormon_Manyer: thanksGert-Paassen 1 08-18 11:41
To eqshannon: ThanksGert-Paassen 1 09-23 09:08
To fungiman: ThanksGert-Paassen 1 09-23 09:02
To SunToucher: BedanktGert-Paassen 1 09-23 08:59
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • crs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 524 W: 0 N: 920] (3543)
  • [2008-09-22 21:32]

Hello Gert,

There are very fine colors in your photo and there is a good contrast between the fungi and the plants arround. You have made good use of the soft light showing well the fungi with good details. The DOF has been well chosen keeping the whole fungi in focus and showing good details.

Thank you for sharing,
Cristian

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3748 W: 186 N: 11161] (34473)
  • [2008-09-22 22:52]

Hello Gert,
This is an excellent photo of A. aurantia taken from a great POV with fine sharpness and the colours are striking against the mossy BG. Very nice composition too.
TFS this beauty,
Ivan

Hoi Gert,
Ja het is bijna weer zover. De eerste paddestoelen heb ik alweer gezien, maar het echt mooie moet nog beginnen. Dit is een pracht foto met erg mooi detail en helderheid. Ik heb alleen het gevoel dat je een te warme witbalance hebt gebruikt. De klaver en het mos hebben een te gele gloed.
Groeten,
Niek

  • Great 
  • Ishi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 160 W: 0 N: 936] (3604)
  • [2008-09-22 23:27]

Truly beautiful colors on a great background. Well done! Ishi

Hello Gert,
What a awesome colouration on these fungus! really nice that makes a good colour contrast against the ground!
the image is sharp with good lighting and details
well done and thanks for the notes
cheers
Tony

Hi Big Bro Gert,
What a strange shaped and beautifully coloured fungus:) This is novelty for me. You captured it perfectly as usual with accompanying great notes!
Many thanks fgor sharing this fine image my Big Bro!
Have a nice day!
Cheers,

Bayram

Hi Gert,
A well capture of these stunning fungi with a good point of view and sharp image. I am a little concerned with the colours the whole image looks to have two much red in it. I am sure if you were to tweak the colour balance a little these cup fungi will stand out against the green mosses even more.

Cheers Clive

Hi Gert,
A nice capture of this beautiful fungi. Superb details and a lovely composition with beautiful colors. Thanks a lot for sharing.

Hi Gert

Great shot of this cool looking fungi
Great composition and sharpness

Chris

Hello gert.
Great capture.
Nice colours with excellent detail.
Good composition.

Hi Gert...

Wonderful shot of the brightly colored fungus. Very nicely composed, lit, and presented. Well done... I like it a lot. TFS And thanks for the informative notes too. :)

Larry

hello Gert

excellent shot of Fungis, fine POV and framing, i love where they
are placed on the image, excellent sharpness and details,
and excellent contrasy colours, TFS

Asbed

Well it is easy enough to see why they call it named that..a bit frightening that it is the only of its kind edible...one could make a mistake...the Laotians frequently make mistakes over here in Western Washington in the mushroom arena...some have died...things look too much the same and they still eat dog here as well..ah well a fine addition to the genre.
bob

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2493 W: 11 N: 6885] (21912)
  • [2008-09-23 9:48]

Hi Gert,

These fungi do look like orange peels - both in shape and color. I love that vivid orange that jumps out from the background. Wonderful lighting, clarity and composition.

Jane

It is difficult to capture the shapes of this specie so well, congratulations.
Regards, Felipe.

Hello Gert,

Great capture of these fungi. Great composition and sharpness with an excellent DOF. Very nice vivid colours.
Cheers,
Mariki

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2345 W: 92 N: 5348] (17102)
  • [2008-09-24 6:12]

Hallo Gert,
Prachtige kleurstelling en compositie. Het contrast in kleuren is schitterend. Erg scherp en goede diepte in de foto. De ondergrond mag er trouwens ook zijn.
Groet,
Peter

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2959 W: 162 N: 817] (2429)
  • [2008-09-25 8:01]

Hello Gert,
THat's my first sight of the Orange Peel Fungus this year!! Excellent close-up showing them appearing out of the moss. Sharp details and lovely natural colours in a fine composition.
Many thanks, Ulla

Another wonderful shot Gert.
Perfect colour and sharpness.
Beautifully composed.
I don't think we have this in NZ.
Excellent work!
TFS
Steve

  • Great 
  • jpdenk Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 478 W: 5 N: 780] (2053)
  • [2008-10-07 10:13]

Hi Gert,

A fine image of this beautiful species, one of my favorites, but I haven't yet made an image of it that I really like, yours is an excellent photo.

Thanks,
John

Hi Gert,

It seems like John (jpdenk) and I are "wearing the same shoes" (as we used to say in Hungary for situations like this): we don't have a useful photo of this specie. Yours is excellent, mostly sharpness- and color-wise. I should have composed the group a bit more into the center, but with the same focal point on the closest fruitbody (so it would remain in the lower third, but not so left). In spite of this a great image, tfs. Believe it or not, I never ever found Aleuria aurantia, although literature mentions it as a locally not rare specie.

Addition to the note: You mentioned the similarities with the Sarcoscypha coccinea complex, but not the most important difference: those species (S. austriaca and S. coccinea) are only growing in spring, not in late summer / fall as Aleuria aurantia. This specie never comes out in spring.

Best regards from Hungary, László

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