From: norsgerm@a...........   
      
   The woods where I photographed the scarlet cups contains popple (aspen),   
   basswood, cottonwood, birch and other species. I just use two field guides   
   as my main reference-National Audubon Society field guide plus the Peterson   
   field guide by Kent and Vera McNight. So very often they conflict, but   
   between the two I at least get close. I hope to be able to do microscopic ID   
   soon, but I'm just not there yet.   
   So many fungus are being reclassified that it seems to be an ongoing   
   learning process.   
   Kurt   
   "Irene Andersson"  wrote in message   
   news:7ac442t975o7bor2sp2mr4pd5d8dcman6i@4ax.com...   
   > On Sun, 16 Apr 2006 06:06:11 -0500, "Kurt"    
   > wrote:   
   >   
   >>The scarlet cups I found are commonly called the 'Scarlet Elf Cup'   
   >>(sarcoscypha coccinea) and grows on decayed twigs, branches, and wood on   
   >>the   
   >>forest floor. (northern Minnesota)   
   >>Kurt    http://i2.tinypic.com/vg4mxk.jpg   
   >   
   > Well, yes, S. coccinea is the name that is commonly used in a wide   
   > sense - and in most of the field guides and pictures on the web.   
   >   
   > What is known in your area so far, is not S. coccinea, but three other   
   > species.   
   > S. occidentalis: very small cups, hardly exceeding 2 cm, grows on   
   > maple (doesn't look like the one in your picture).   
   >   
   > S. dudleyi and S. austriaca: To tell them apart, you need to identify   
   > the trees they are growing on. S. dudleyi is rare on limetree, while   
   > the more common S. austriaca grows on a wider range of trees.   
   > I think it's hard to see the difference in a microscope without a   
   > large experience with these species.   
   >   
   > Irene Andersson   
      
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