Sarcosphaera coronaria

Photo: ABFG library

Back to the BAP list

Description

General: Large, white and violet irregular cup; scattered or in clusters, on calcareous soils in broad leaf woods favouring beech, less frequently with conifers.
Dimensions: 30-20cm dia ; 3-15cm tall . Fruit body: apothecial upper surface violaceous , either pallid or with deep brownish tinge, smooth; outer surface whitish with grey tinges, slightly roughened; at first vesicular, embedded in the substrate, then breaking through the surface and opening, more expanded at maturity, splitting into star shaped segments; sessile; flesh: white, brittle, thick.

Asci : cylindrical 300-360 x 10-13 µm Spores: (8) hyaline, smooth, broadly ellipsoid, non- septate , uniseriate , 2 droplets, 13.5-18.0 x 7.0-8.5 µm . Paraphyses finely cylindrical, slightly swollen at the tips, forked at the base, septate Odour: not distinctive.
Taste: not distinctive.
Chemical Tests: None.
Occurrence: Late Spring to Summer.

 

Qualifying criterion: 1: internationally threatened species
Justification: threatened in over 50% of countries in its European range
Threats: habitat loss, tree felling, recreational disturbance, inappropriate management
Action Required: Survey and monitoring; protection against habitat loss and degradation; ecological assessment.

 

Statistics:

UK (excluding NI & CI) fungus records

Total records: 83

Earliest recording: 1869
Latest recording: 2006
Vice Counties and (frequency): 3(1); 6(2); 7(1); 13(2); 16(8); 17(6); 20(3); 32(3); 33(15); 34(4); 40(2); 62(13); 69(2); 71(1)
Pre-1960: 27 records
NBN Gateway grid map Post-1960: 56 records