Bird's Nest Fungus

Description:

Tiny gray fungi in the shape of a birds nest with tiny disc shaped "eggs" inside. There were two areas near each other where these were growing. The last image shows how small these are.

Habitat:

Damp area in full shade in soil along trail at Daley Ranch. There was some bark in the area from bushes above it on hill.

Notes:

"The 'eggs', or peridioles, typically number 8 to 10 in the cup, and they are white or grey in color, with a diameter of 2–4 mm—conspicuously larger than other Cyathus species. When a raindrop hits the interior of the cup with the proper angle and velocity it can produce considerable force, and can create a splash that drives the water up along the sides of the cup (also known as splash cups), tearing the funiculus, and ejecting the peridioles. The peridioles are followed by their funicular cord and basal hapteron. When they hit a nearby plant stem or stick, the hapteron sticks to it, and the funicular cord wraps around the stem or stick powered by the force of the still-moving peridiole (similar to a tetherball). The peridiole, attached to the plant, may be eaten by herbivorous mammals, and the subsequent passage through its digestive tract will soften the hard shell enough to facilitate later sporulation." - Wikipedia