Common Brown Cup Mushroom: Identification, Lookalikes, and Edibility

The common brown cup mushroom (Peziza phyllogena) is as common as its name suggests. It is an edible species in that it is not toxic, but it isn’t foraged for the table because there’s not much to them, and they don’t taste like anything. There are a lot of lookalikes (and a lot of brown cup fungi out there!), so be sure to pay attention to all the details.

• Scientific Name: Peziza phyllogena, syn Peziza badiaconfusa
• Common Names: Common brown cup, Pig’s ear
• Habitat: Decomposing material and rotting wood
• Edibility: Non-toxic

All About The Common Brown Cup Mushroom

This species was first recognized by the mycologist Mordecai Cubitt Cooke in 1877. It was sent to him in England by American botanist Henry William Ravenel, who gathered the specimen from South Carolina.

The scientific name ‘Peziza‘ is from the Latin and translates to stemless or footless mushroom. The descriptor ‘phyllogena‘ translates to ‘leaf-born,’ because the cups often grow on clumps of decomposing leaves. The popular name ‘Common Brown Cup’ comes from its obvious brownish cup shape, while ‘Pig-ear Cup’ is because its shape somewhat resembles a pig’s ear.

Brown Cup Fungi Identification

Season

Fruiting bodies generally appear in early spring.

Habitat

The common brown cup mushroom is a saprobic species, which means it feeds on decaying organic matter. It grows singly or in dense clusters on soil or on well-decayed logs or decomposing material. It’s not uncommon to find dozens growing tightly together in one spot, overlapping and fighting for space.

This fungus has a widespread distribution in North America, especially in the upper Midwest of the United States. It was also recorded in Iceland in 2007.

Identification

Body

The fruit bodies of the common brown cup mushroom are cup-shaped. They do not have a stem or gills like many other fungi species. The cups measure from 1.2 to 3.1 inches in diameter and are brown. The shade of brown can vary a lot from tan to dark brown, depending on the age and location of the mushroom. The inner surface of the cup is usually dark purplish-brown to dark reddish-gray. Often, the outer surface color is lighter than the interior, but still brown or tan.

The mushroom is thin and fragile, and the sides of the cup are often pressed together or lobed. The mushroom attaches directly to the substrate it is growing on.

Flesh

The flesh of this species is thin and brittle. When the cup dries, the edges turn black.

Odor

This mushroom does not have a distinctive odor.

Spore Print

The spore print of the common brown cup is hyaline, which means it is translucent to pale cream.

Common Brown Cup Mushroom Lookalikes

Bay Cup Fungus (Legaliana badia/Peziza badia)

This species is similar in appearance with a bay brown cup and smooth inner surface. It commonly appear on heavily compacted surfaces, in gravel, and along forest trails. The primary difference is that this cup fungus fruits in late summer and autumn, the opposite of the common brown cup which appears in spring.

Bleach Cup (Disciotis venosa)

A closely related species that appears in the morel season just like the common brown cup mushroom, but looks a bit different. It is lighter colored on the outside (whitish to tan) and darker on the inside (dark tan to brown). Plus, the inner surface is veined, not smooth. This species grows much larger, often reaching up to 8” wide and has a short stem. It also is usually found flattened out, not cup-shaped. With age, the entire fungus opens up and lays flat(ish) on the soil surface.

Gyromitra Cup Fungi (Gyromitra spp)

You may recognize the scientific name for these mushrooms – Gyromita fungi are the false morels, like ( ). Even though these species are closely related to the false morels they looks quite different, but also, you can see the family resemblance. This species fruits in spring, is cup-shaped, and fruits from decomposing organic material and rotting wood just like the common brown cup mushroom. It’s key differences are that it often has a stem (but not always!), and the outer flesh color is cream to whitish and not brown at all. The interior flesh is brown.

Common Brown Cup Mushroom Edibility

The brown cup fungus is edible but not foraged very often. There isn’t much to it, and it doesn’t have a distinctive taste, so it’s usually bypassed. If you were desperate, you could eat this species (cooked!), but other than that, there’s not much reason to forage them. They also fall apart super easily due to their thin flesh, so even getting them home and into the frying pan is an adventure.

Common Questions About Brown Cup Mushrooms