bird's-nest fungus

(pl. bird's-nest fungi)

Terms discussed: peridiole (pl. peridioles), splash cup (pl. splash cups)

Bird's-nest fungi are so named from their shape. A sterile cup-shaped peridium encloses small capsules of spores, called peridioles. The spores are dispersed when raindrops fall into the cup, splashing out the peridioles. Fruiting bodies with this method of spore dispersal are sometimes called splash cups. Trametes conchifer is a polypore that also has splash cups.

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The splash method of spore dispersal was discovered by H. J. Brodie, and described in a very entertaining way in his book The Bird's Nest Fungi

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There are two modern genera of bird's-nest fungi: Crucibulum, for fungi with white to cream-colored peridioles, and Cyathus, for fungi with black to dark grey or dark brown peridioles.

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