Lachnum sp.

Amazing what one can see on a fallen log, LOL. To me, the surface of this log looked pretty smooth and looked almost as if it had been burned. Closer examination - thanks, Doug! - showed that it was covered with a tiny cup fungus, whose cups were 0.5 to 2 mm across.

I've just been Googling this species, but everything is very scientific and way above my head (i.e. totally meaningless), so will add the information that Doug (dougwaylett) has added to his image www.flickr.com/photos/dougcwaylett/5033175415/. Hope you don't mind, Doug! I learn from your information.

"Lachnum sp (?), Similar to L. bicolor but it is not yellow. A tiny cup fungus with cups measuring 0.5 to 2 mm. The disk of the cup is open and brown when wet. The margin and exterior of the cup have hairs that are covered with extremely fine white granules. When dry the cup closes. It is ubiquitous on fallen, rotting poplar logs on the spongy inner layer of bark (bast) which is missing the outer layer (cambium). It never seems to be on bare wood or the cambium of the bark. Scale at top in mms."

Looks like the tiny cups in this patch I photographed were drying out somewhat, as they are partially closed. Seen on a day trip to Bow Valley Provincial Park on 30th September. By the way, I found one beautiful, fresh Prairie Crocus at Bow Valley PP. This is one day before October arrived, not March or April : )