February is the peak season for "Scarlet elf cup"

 In February of this year, I found this brilliant red-colored fungus in the woods again. It's growing in almost the same place as last year.　It is Sarcoscypha coccinea, commonly known as the scarlet elf cup, or the scarlet cup, a kind of Ascomycetes fungi.　It is easily noticed because of its bright color.

In Europe, it is said there is a legend that a fairy in a tree drank morning dew using this mushroom as a cup.

Its Japanese name is Beni-chawan-take, red teacup mushroom, if directly translated. The English name is similar to the Japanese one, isn't it?  We tend to think from the same point of view, don't we?

The scarlet elf cup is the saprobic fungus, and it grows on decaying sticks and branches in damp spots on forest floors, generally buried under leaf litter or in the soil.

When you flick this fungus, they say that spores will come out like smoke from the brilliant red interior of the cup, but unfortunately I haven't seen it yet.