Fungus
Common Eyelash
Scutellinia scutellataAlso known as Eyelash Pixie Cup, Molly Eye-Winker, Eyelash Cup
Bright orange-red cups ringed with stiff, dark eyelashes cling to damp, decaying wood across temperate forests worldwide. These tiny fungi play a vital ecological role breaking down damp timber and leaf litter, returning rich organic nutrients to the forest floor. Under a hand lens, the fringed margin reveals a delicate crown of dark brown bristles that help direct humidity across the spore-bearing surface.
FungusTinyWood Rotter
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyDead wood, Lignin, Cellulose
Predators
- Slugs
- Snails
- Fungus gnats
ThreatsDeforestation, severe drought, habitat drying
HabitatsDamp hardwood forests, decaying logs, wet soil
Life spanFruiting body 1–3 weeks; mycelium lives for years
Classification
- OrderPezizales
- FamilyPyronemataceae
- GenusScutellinia
- SpeciesScutellinia scutellata
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Wild fungi have dangerous look-alikes; never eat any wild mushroom based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
- Lens Inspection: Examine the dark fringed cilia along the cup rim with a 10x magnifying glass.
- Woodland Searches: Scan shaded, soggy logs and damp leaf litter near streams after spring or autumn rains.
- Gentle Observation: Avoid disturbing the fragile rotting wood where these delicate cups anchor.
Look-alike This image was created by user Ryane Snow (snowman) at Mushroom Observer, a source for mycological images.You can contact this user here. / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) cwwood, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by cwwood · cc-by-sa
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