species cup fungus family parasitic oak hardwood species saprobic fruit bodies develop dead wood fallen ground appearing early spring distinctive shaped dark colored fruit bodies earned common names devil gray distribution includes eastern north_america europe asia produces compounds growth fungi imperfect stage plant known causes disease oak hardwood tree species history taxonomy described american botanist based specimen found north_carolina species appeared scientific literature current described new genus set type species german mycologist removed species transferring genus replaced type species related species restructuring resulted situation genus consisted single species ambiguous resemblance original species described genus based according written clarify rationale decision placed related species established order retain genus placed restricted genus fungus explains justify believed allied considered microscopic analysis tissues related genera clearly showed choices represented entirely different genus related naming restored genus means little specific epithet derived latin referring type bowl antiquity mix wine water commonly known devil gray description fruit bodies begin dense black surface oak branches contact ground starting rolls cylindrical tissue centimeters long wide expand slowly winter grow rapidly spring weather warmer shaped fruit body technically diameter deep initially closed opens matures leaving ragged smooth margin round opening flesh walls tough initially gelatinous later exterior brownish black black surface interior spore bearing surface hymenium brownish black color usually somewhat paler outside outer surface partially covered small patches tissue viewed glass hairs fungal hyphae making outer surface variable length thick walled blunt appear wind connected stalk typically long thick black base microscopic features spores ellipsoid shaped smooth thin walled non taking stain hyaline translucent dimensions spore bearing cells spored cylindrical measure analogous having flip lid mechanism release spores interspersed thin branched extend tops viewed microscope wall tissue layers roughly equal thickness layer tissue black compact covered fine layer brownish black hairs second layer consists loosely brown hyphae suspended gelatinous matrix layer fertile spore bearing surface brownish black hymenium imperfect state life cycle allows imperfect making spores perfect making sexual spores form happened fungal taxonomy imperfect form given different relationship perfect imperfect forms species known imperfect stage plant species known cause disease oak edibility species listed field guides recommended consumption tough texture book edible mushrooms lists taste mediocre comments devil bad thought going good mind possible eat forced smile served similar species cup fungus black smaller cup deep spore development spores rapid high percentage requires hours relatively short time compared species family requires hours furthermore possible wide temperature range wide soil range quality quantity light affect prolonged exposure light reduce efficiency ecology habitat distribution grows singly usually attached sticks branches especially oak partially buried ground state saprobic hardwood state parasitic causes including oaks beech found deciduous forests dark color partially covered leaf litter fungi appear march dubbed spring encountered melting snow distribution includes eastern north_america europe including czech_republic finland spain japan china red listed critically endangered czech_republic compounds grown liquid culture produces chemicals growth fungi specifically chemical antagonistic blue stain fungi wood decay fungus chemicals produced include isolated compounds suggesting true nature mechanism devil resolved
Urnula craterium