Encoelia furfuracea

A curious ascomycete fruiting erumpently on branches of various deciduous trees according to literature, although in our personal experience we have found it repeatedly and exclusively on Corylus avellana wood.

It typically fruits in the wettest months of the year, from late autumn to early spring, though it may be observed at other times under favorable environmental conditions.

In early developmental stages it remains closed, opening in wet weather at maturity to reveal the hymenium. Fully open, it can exceed 1 cm in diameter.

It is not considered common, but within our working territory we have observed it on multiple occasions across several distinct localities, always on old hazel branches.

Within the genus Encoelia there are several additional species with which it could be confused, but all differ in host specificity.

The microscopic images are from a collection in the municipality of Amurrio (Álava) in February. Two earlier macroscopic photographs are included: one from November in Erandio (Bizkaia) and another from Galdames (Bizkaia) from April.