Sarcoscypha coccinea
A Cup-Fungi within the Phyllum Ascomycotina. (This means that in the sexual reproduction of Ascomycetes, during the sexual stage spores are formed in an "elongated cell," called an ascus, and are forcibly discharged at maturity.)
Identification:
Exterior whitish in color.May or not be slight stalk.Inner surface of cup scarlet to deep redFruiting bodies saucer- to shallow-cup in shape.Quarter to silver dollar sized.
Edibility: Not recommended. It is thin and one seldom finds enough to make a meal. The taste has been called pleasant.
When and where to find it: Like the skunk cabbage among flowering plants, it is an indication of spring. In Michigan it starts fruiting in early April in the southern tier counties and in the Upper Peninsula. During late seasons it can be still be found near the end of May. It is widely distributed in the hardwood areas of the United States and is usually found attached to fallen branches partly buried in humus.
Smith, Alexander H. The Mushroom Hunter's Field Guide, Revised and Enlarged.
2nd ed. Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press, 1963.
CURRENTLY, THE COPYRIGHT ON THIS BOOK HAS BEEN EXPIRED SINCE 1963.
That's why I am able to node excerpts from the book.