# Green Elfcup (*Chlorociboria aeruginascens*)

The Green Elfcup is a tiny, green mushroom that looks like a little cup! It loves to grow on decaying wood and is a fun find in the forest.

- **Category:** [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fungi)
- **Rarity:** Epic
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 4
- **Habitat:** Decaying wood in forests
- **Also known as:** Elfcup Fungus, Green Cup Fungus

![Green Elfcup](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426332/objects/5143.jpg)

## Appearance

The Green Elfcup is a tiny, cup-shaped mushroom, often appearing as a thin, vibrant turquoise-green stain on dead wood. Its small, disc-like caps have a slightly inrolled margin, making it look like a miniature, jewel-toned adornment on logs.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Fungi
- **Phylum:** Ascomycota
- **Class:** Leotiomycetes
- **Order:** Helotiales
- **Family:** Chlorociboriaceae
- **Genus:** Chlorociboria

## Interesting facts

- Ancient craftspeople used wood stained by this fungus to make beautiful artistic inlays.
- Imagine a mushroom that doesn't just grow on wood, but actually \*paints\* it from the inside!
- It's so small, you might think it's just moss, but look closer for its vibrant green cup!
- This tiny fungus turns wood a vivid blue-green, even after the mushroom is gone!

## Special abilities

- **Wood Stainer:** Green Elfcup can stain wood a striking blue-green because it produces a special pigment, helping it recycle nutrients from decaying trees.
- **Nutrient Recycler:** Green Elfcup can digest tough wood because it releases enzymes, which helps clean up the forest floor by breaking down old trees.
- **Durable Decorator:** Green Elfcup has a leathery texture that helps it survive longer on logs, slowly transforming dead wood into artistic patterns.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 0.2-1 cm
- **Edible:** inedible
- **Size:** 0.5-2 cm
- **Growth Substrate:** wood
- **Season:** Fall
- **Spore Color:** White

## Ecological connections

- **Depends on:** [American Beech](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-beech) (*Fagus grandifolia*) — Green Elfcup depends on dead branches of Fagus grandifolia for nutrients.
- **Depends on:** [White Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-oak) (*Quercus alba*) — This fungus needs decaying wood from Quercus alba to grow and reproduce.
- **Depends on:** [Paper Birch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/paper-birch) (*Betula papyrifera*) — Chlorociboria aeruginascens frequently colonizes fallen logs of Betula papyrifera.

## Traits

- [Spore Producing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spore-producing): Spore-producing organisms reproduce by releasing small, often single-celled, reproductive units called spores.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
- [Glowing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/glowing): Pertaining to organisms that emit light through bioluminescence or fluorescence.

## Collections

- [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fungi)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Do not pick or eat anything you find. Some plants and mushrooms can be harmful.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Green Elfcup?

Compare the cap shape, the underside, the stem and base, and whether the fungus grows on wood or soil. Some fungi have gills, others pores or teeth. A cap seen only from above often hides the most useful features. Mushroom Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Green Elfcup?

0.2-1 cm

### Is Green Elfcup edible?

inedible

### How big is Green Elfcup?

0.5-2 cm

### Where is Green Elfcup usually found?

Decaying wood in forests

### What does Green Elfcup grow on?

wood

### When is Green Elfcup in season?

Fall

### What color are Green Elfcup spores?

White

## Where to spot

- [Bear Meadows Natural Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bear-meadows-natural-area) — Pennsylvania, US · Nature Reserve
- [Historic Moravian Bethlehem Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/historic-moravian-bethlehem-historic-district) — Pennsylvania, US · Historic District
- [Quehanna Wild Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/quehanna-wild-area) — Pennsylvania, US · Nature Reserve
- [Palmerton Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/palmerton-historic-district) — Pennsylvania, US · Historic District
- [Penn-Roosevelt State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/penn-roosevelt-state-park) — Pennsylvania, US · State Park

[View all places to see Green Elfcup](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/green-elfcup)

## More Fungi

- [Field Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/field-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Button Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/button-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Portobello Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/portobello-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Shiitake](https://www.snappit.app/explore/shiitake) (*Lentinula*)

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Source: [Green Elfcup: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/green-elfcup)