Cup fungi

        Cup fungi are the ascomycetes most likely to be encountered in nature, although many species are small enough that they are easily overlooked. Cup fungi have a fruiting body that is shaped like a cup, shallow bowl or urn, with the spores being produced on the inner surface layer of this structure. The fruiting bodies of many species of cup fungi are brightly colored, and they often occur in groups or clusters on decaying wood or the surface of moist, humus-rich soil. Most cup fungi are decomposers of wood or other types of plant debris.