Synonyms: Cenangium craterium, Dermea craterium, Geopyxis craterium, Peziza adusta, Peziza craterium, Plectania adusta, Sarcoscypha craterium, Scypharia craterium.
Common name: devil's urn.
Extract from Wikipedia article: Urnula craterium is a species of cup fungus in the family Sarcosomataceae. It is parasitic on oak and various other hardwood species; it is also saprobic, as the fruit bodies develop on dead wood after it has fallen to the ground. Appearing in early spring, its distinctive goblet-shaped and dark-colored fruit bodies have earned it the common names devil's urn and the gray urn. The distribution of U. craterium includes eastern North America, Europe, and Asia. It produces bioactive compounds that can inhibit the growth of other fungi. The asexual (imperfect), or conidial stage of U. craterium is a plant pathogen known as Conoplea globosa, which causes a canker disease of oak and several other hardwood tree species.
Czech: Urnička pohárová, French: Urnule cratériforme, German: Schwarzer Kelchpilz, Hungarian: Fekete kehelygomba, Lithuanian: Krateriškasis taurūnis, Romanian: Pocalul diavolului, Russian: Урнула бокальчатая, Serbian: Црни пехар, Swedish: Rökpipsvamp, Ukrainian: Урнула кратеровидна.
Urnula craterium is a species of cup fungus in the family Sarcosomataceae. It produces dark brown to black, urn-shaped ascocarps with a crater-like opening at the top. In East and Central Texas, Urnula craterium typically fruits in late winter to early spring on decomposing hardwood logs, particularly oak and elm. The fungus is often found in shaded, moist areas with rich soil, such as wooded slopes and stream banks. Its distribution in the region includes the eastern edge of the Edwards Plateau and the Piney Woods ecoregion, where it can be locally common.
The Devil's Urn mushrooms (Urnula craterium) on a fallen branch on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest, near Huntsville. Texas, March 10, 2018
Little Lake Creek Loop Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Close up of the Devil's Urn mushrooms (Urnula craterium) on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest, near Huntsville. Texas, March 10, 2018Little Lake Creek Loop Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
The Devil's Urn mushrooms (Urnula craterium) on a fallen tree limb on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest, near Huntsville. Texas, March 10, 2018Little Lake Creek Loop Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Upper view of the Devil's Urn mushrooms (Urnula craterium) on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest, near Huntsville. Texas, March 10, 2018Little Lake Creek Loop Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Upper view of the Devil's Urn mushrooms (Urnula craterium) on wood on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest, near Huntsville. Texas, March 10, 2018Little Lake Creek Loop Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
The Devil's Urn mushrooms (Urnula craterium) on Caney Creek section of Lone Star Hiking Trail in Sam Houston National Forest near Huntsville, Texas, March 24, 2018
The Devil's Urn mushrooms (Urnula craterium) on a fallen tree branch on Caney Creek section of Lone Star Hiking Trail in Sam Houston National Forest near Huntsville, Texas, March 24, 2018Little Lake Creek Loop Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Young Devil's Urn mushrooms (Urnula craterium) in area of Winters Bayou in Sam Houston National Forest, east from Waverly. Texas, February 23, 2019Lone Star Hiking Trail, Cleveland, TX 77328, USA
Devil's Urn mushrooms (Urnula craterium) growing from wood submerged in soil in area of Winters Bayou in Sam Houston National Forest, east from Waverly. Texas, February 23, 2019Lone Star Hiking Trail, Cleveland, TX 77328, USA
The Devil's Urn mushrooms (Urnula craterium) on a fallen twig on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest near Huntsville. Texas, March 16, 2019Little Lake Creek Loop Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Drying Devil's Urn mushrooms (Urnula craterium) on a fallen twig on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest near Huntsville. Texas, March 16, 2019Little Lake Creek Loop Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Devil's Urn mushrooms (Urnula craterium) in Big Creek Scenic Area of Sam Houston National Forest. Shepherd, Texas, March 7, 2020Lone Star Hiking Trail, Coldspring, TX 77331, USA
Devil's Urn mushrooms (Urnula craterium) on a fallen branch in Big Creek Scenic Area of Sam Houston National Forest. Shepherd, Texas, March 7, 2020Lone Star Hiking Trail, Coldspring, TX 77331, USA
Dissected Devil's Urn mushrooms (Urnula craterium) in Big Creek Scenic Area of Sam Houston National Forest. Shepherd, Texas, March 7, 2020Lone Star Hiking Trail, Coldspring, TX 77331, USA
Devil's Urn mushrooms (Urnula craterium) in cross section in Big Creek Scenic Area of Sam Houston National Forest. Shepherd, Texas, March 7, 2020Lone Star Hiking Trail, Coldspring, TX 77331, USA
Devil's Urn mushrooms (Urnula craterium) on a fallen twig in Big Creek Scenic Area of Sam Houston National Forest. Shepherd, Texas, March 7, 2020Lone Star Hiking Trail, Coldspring, TX 77331, USA
Upper view of Devil's Urn mushrooms (Urnula craterium) on a fallen twig in Big Creek Scenic Area of Sam Houston National Forest. Shepherd, Texas, March 7, 2020Lone Star Hiking Trail, Coldspring, TX 77331, USA
Upper view of devil's urn mushrooms (Urnula craterium) on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, March 11, 2020Little Lake Creek Loop Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Devil's urn mushrooms (Urnula craterium) on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, March 11, 2020Little Lake Creek Loop Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Side view of devil's urn mushrooms (Urnula craterium) on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, March 11, 2020Little Lake Creek Loop Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Devil's urn mushrooms (Urnula craterium) on a fallen oak branch on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, March 7, 2021Little Lake Creek Loop Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Cross section of devil's urn mushrooms (Urnula craterium) in wet area on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, March 7, 2021Little Lake Creek Loop Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Devil's urn mushrooms (Urnula craterium) with a cross section on a fallen oak branch on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, March 7, 2021Little Lake Creek Loop Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Devil's urn mushrooms (Urnula craterium) on Sand Branch Loop Trail in Sam Houston National Forest near Montgomery. Texas, March 28, 2021Lone Star Hiking Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Mature devil's urn mushrooms (Urnula craterium) on Sand Branch Loop Trail in Sam Houston National Forest near Montgomery. Texas, March 28, 2021Lone Star Hiking Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Mature Devil's urn mushrooms (Urnula craterium) on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, April 16, 2022Little Lake Creek Loop Trail, Montgomery County, Texas, 77873, United States
Spores of Devil's urn mushrooms (Urnula craterium) collected in Sam Houston National Forest near Montgomery. Texas, April 16, 2022
Asci and spores of Devil's urn mushrooms (Urnula craterium) collected in Sam Houston National Forest near Montgomery. Texas, April 16, 2022
Spores of Devil's urn mushrooms (Urnula craterium) collected in Sam Houston National Forest a day before. Texas, April 17, 2022
Spore size 19.7 - 31.2 × 9.5 - 10.3 µm, length to width ratio Q = 2 - 3.1.The fungus Urnula craterium, also known as Devil's Urn, was observed in East and Central Texas from 2018 to 2022. The majority of sightings were in Sam Houston National Forest, specifically on Caney Creek Trail and Big Creek Scenic Area. The mushrooms were found growing on fallen branches, twigs, and wood, often submerged in soil or near water. Observations were made during the months of February, March, April, with multiple visits to the same locations over the years. The observations included various stages of growth, from young to mature mushrooms, as well as cross-sections and spore collections. The consistent presence of Urnula craterium in these areas suggests that it is a common species in the region, thriving in the forest's humid environment. Overall, the observations provide valuable information on the habitat and growth patterns of this unique fungus.
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