Crucibulum laeve --- Common Bird's Nest.
These tiny bird's nest fungi were seen along a wood-chip covered path in Pembrey Country Park. The young fb's have a membranous yellow 'lid' which disintegrates at maturity revealing the 'eggs'. Each 'egg' (peridiole containing spores) has a fine thread attached. When a raindrop splashes out an 'egg' the thread gets attached to nearby grass so the spores are liberated from a higher level ---- cunning!
I wonder if the slug (centre of photo) has had eggs for breakfast? I have seen Cruibulum from time to time at Pembrey (FRDBI 1981), on woodchip or sawdust piles, but not for several years so nice to find again.
We had a spectacular outbreak of Cyathus olla on mulch on the Broadwalk 2 years ago. Not seen since and I've never seen this type of bird's nest fungus.
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