# Stalked Hairy Fairy Cup (*lachnum virgineum*)

The Stalked Hairy Fairy Cup is a tiny mushroom that looks like a little cup with fuzzy edges! It often grows on decaying wood, helping to break it down and make the soil rich.

- **Category:** [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fungi)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger
- **Habitat:** They live in damp, shady areas of forests, usually on decaying wood.
- **Also known as:** Fairy Cup Mushroom, Hairy Cup Fungus, Wood Cup Fungi

![Stalked Hairy Fairy Cup](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Lachnum_virgineum_%2835093678804%29.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Björn S..., CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lachnum_virgineum_%2835093678804%29.jpg)

## Appearance

The Stalked Hairy Fairy Cup is a tiny, pure white fungus with a shallow cup-shaped cap and a slender stalk. Its most distinctive feature is the dense fringe of white hairs around the cup's margin, making it look quite fuzzy.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Fungi
- **Phylum:** Ascomycota
- **Class:** Leotiomycetes
- **Order:** Helotiales
- **Family:** Lachnaceae
- **Genus:** Lachnum

## Interesting facts

- It often grows so close together, it looks like a carpet of tiny white cups!
- Its scientific name means "woolly virgin," describing its white, fuzzy look!
- Look closely, and you might spot what looks like a tiny eyelash growing on wood!
- These fungi are so small, a single raindrop could fill many of their cups!

## Special abilities

- **Fuzzy Grip:** Stalked Hairy Fairy Cup has a hairy margin that helps it capture airborne moisture and potentially assist in spore dispersal.
- **Nature's Recycler:** Stalked Hairy Fairy Cup can break down dead wood because of specialized enzymes that help them recycle nutrients back into the ecosystem.
- **Miniature Explorer:** Stalked Hairy Fairy Cup has a tiny size that allows it to colonize small pieces of decaying wood, exploiting niche environments.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 0.3-1 cm
- **Edible:** inedible
- **Size:** 0.1-0.3 cm
- **Growth Substrate:** wood
- **Season:** Fall, winter, spring
- **Spore Color:** White

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** Springtail (*Folsomia candida*) — Tiny springtails graze on its fungal tissues.
- **Depends on:** [European Beech](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-beech) (*Fagus sylvatica*) — It decomposes fallen branches of this tree.
- **Eaten by:** Mold Mite (*Tyrophagus putrescentiae*) — Microscopic mites may graze on its delicate tissues.

## Traits

- [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.
- [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.
- [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.

## Collections

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

## Safety

**Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger

No special safety notes yet.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Stalked Hairy Fairy Cup?

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 Stalked Hairy Fairy Cup?

0.3-1 cm

### Is Stalked Hairy Fairy Cup edible?

inedible

### How big is Stalked Hairy Fairy Cup?

0.1-0.3 cm

### Where is Stalked Hairy Fairy Cup usually found?

They live in damp, shady areas of forests, usually on decaying wood.

### What does Stalked Hairy Fairy Cup grow on?

wood

### When is Stalked Hairy Fairy Cup in season?

Fall, winter, spring

### What color are Stalked Hairy Fairy Cup spores?

White

## 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: [Stalked Hairy Fairy Cup: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/stalked-hairy-fairy-cup)