Aleuria aurantia

Aleuria aurantia (orange peel fungus) is a widespread ascomycete fungus in the order Pezizales. The bright orange, cup-shaped ascocarps often resemble orange peels strewn on the ground,<ref name=":1">Template:Cite book</ref> giving this species its common name.

Taxonomy

Christiaan Hendrik Persoon described the orange peel as Peziza aurantia in 1800. The specific epithet is the Latin word aurantia "orange". Karl Wilhelm Gottlieb Leopold Fuckel placed it the genus Aleuria in 1870.

Description

The orange fruiting body is Template:Convert wide, cup-shaped, externally fuzzy,<ref name=":12">Template:Cite book</ref> and often misshapen due to crowding from other fruiting bodies.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref> The flesh is fragile.<ref name="Arora1986">Template:Cite book</ref> The spores produce a white spore print,<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":12" /> and scatter in visible clouds when disturbed.<ref name=":1" />

A variety with smaller spores appears in the Pacific Northwest.<ref name="Arora1986" />

It is fairly uniquely, resembling a discarded orange peel more than other fungi. Aleuria rhenana, Melastiza chateri, and species of Otidea may be vaguely similar.<ref name="Arora1986" />

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Similar species

Similar species include Acervus epispartius,<ref name=":12" /> Caloscypha fulgens, Sarcoscypha coccinea, Sowerbyella rhenana, and members of the genera Melastiza, Otidea, Peziza, Pithya, and Pulvinula.<ref name=":12" /><ref name=":0" /> Particularly In Europe, A.Template:Nbspaurantia may be confused with species of Otidea or Caloscypha which are poisonous or of unknown edibility.

Distribution and habitat

The orange peel fungus grows throughout North America, from November to March in the West and May to November in the East.<ref name=":12" /> It can also be found in south ChileTemplate:Citation needed and in Europe.<ref name="tfb">Template:Cite book</ref> It fruits mainly on bare clay or disturbed soil.<ref name="Arora1986" />

Uses

It is generally regarded as edible,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> though difficult to collect intact<ref name=":1" /> and not necessarily choice. It can be served in thin slices and preserved by drying.<ref name="tfb" />

Further reading

• Nilsson, S. & Persson, O. 1977. Fungi of Northern Europe 1: Larger Fungi (Excluding Gill Fungi). Penguin Books.
• Yao, Y.-J., and B. M. Spooner. 1995. Notes on British taxa referred to Aleuria. Mycological Research 99:1515-1518.
• Seaver, F. J. 1914. North American species of Aleuria and Aleurina. Mycologia 6:273-278.

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