Habitat and Identification

The Scarlet Elfcup (sarcoscypha austriaca) is a saprobic fungus in the Scarcocyphaceae family, it is part of the Pezizales order of Ascomycota, the fruiting body of the scarlet Elfcup has a vibrant red concave cap and orange stem. The Scarlet Elfcup does not have typical gills, instead it uses a complex network of asci to eject their spores into the environment, this occurs as water pressure builds in the asci until the thin membrane on top ruptures causing a forceful release of spores, from there the spores can be further distributed by air currents or other methods, the cup itself is on average 4cm wide and 1-2cm deep, with the stem being around 3cm long and orange, like the external tissue of the fungus, the Scarlet Elfcup is not native to the UK however it could be argued that it has become naturalised. How it came to the UK is unknown, but it is likely that it crossed from Northern Europe or America on ships centuries ago.

Medicinal use or folklore

The scarlet Elfcup has be reported to be used historically by the Oneida People in the united states and Canada, as a way to stem bleeding and promote healing, the edibility of the Scarlet Elfcup is contested with many sources listing it and inedible due to its lack of nutritional value, however it is not poisonous so can be used in food if you really want to, it is reported to have an earthy, woody flavour and can become crunchy when cooked making it an interesting garnish for salads or stir fries, it is not recommended to eat the Scarlet Elfcup raw