Bay cup

Description:

2 to 8 cm across and 1.5 to 4 cm tall, cup-shaped with an inturned margin initially, opening into an expanding circular or eliptical cup with a rim that becomes irregular and wavy when fully developed. Outer (infertile) surface is various shades of bay brown and finely scurfy; the inner (hymenial or fertile) surface is smooth and often a slightly darker shade of bay brown, sometimes with an olive tint. The bay cup is sessile - it has no stem.

Habitat:

The bay cup is saprobic and occurs on compacted heavy soils, particularly forest footpaths, often among gravel or shale.

Notes:

I'm really not sure if this is the right species or genus for these fungi. Here is what the website first-nature had to say about the bay cup: "There are at least 100 Peziza species and most are various shades of fawn or brown. Definite identification is rarely possible without microscopic examination." Any suggestions are more than welcome. Spotted in National Park Veluwezoom, Holland. (sources:see reference)