Synonyms: Ciliaria brunnea, Ciliaria phillipsii, Humaria brunnea, Lachnea brunnea, Peziza brunnea, Scutellinia brunnea, Sphaerospora brunnea, Sphaerospora phillipsii, Sphaerospora sordida, Sphaerosporula brunnea, Trichophaea brunnea.
Sphaerosporella brunnea is a species of fungus in the Ascomycota phylum, characterized by its small, brown to dark brown apothecia and ellipsoidal to fusoid ascospores. In East and Central Texas, it has been found growing on soil and decaying organic matter, typically in wooded areas with rich leaf litter. The fungus fruits in the spring and fall, producing ascocarps that are 1-5 mm in diameter. It is a relatively rare species in the region, but can be encountered in a variety of habitats, including oak-hickory forests and pine woods.
Cup fungi Anthracobia maurilabra (small) and Sphaerosporella brunnea(?) (larger) on a bonfire site near Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve. Texas, September 25, 2021
Ascomycete fungi Anthracobia maurilabra and Sphaerosporella brunnea(?) on a bonfire site near Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve. Texas, September 25, 2021
Cup fungus Sphaerosporella brunnea(?) on a bonfire site near Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve. Texas, September 25, 2021
Ascomycete fungus Sphaerosporella brunnea(?) on a bonfire site near Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve. Texas, September 25, 2021
Ascomycete fungi Sphaerosporella brunnea(?) together with Anthracobia maurilabra on burnt ground near Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve. Texas, September 25, 2021
Ascomycete fungus Sphaerosporella brunnea(?) on burned wood near Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve. Texas, September 25, 2021
Close-up of Ascomycete fungus Sphaerosporella brunnea(?) on burned wood near Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve. Texas, September 25, 2021
Cups of Ascomycete fungus Sphaerosporella brunnea(?) on burned wood near Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve. Texas, September 25, 2021
Mature Ascomycete fungus Sphaerosporella brunnea(?) on burned wood near Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve. Texas, September 25, 2021
Packed cups of Ascomycete fungus Sphaerosporella brunnea on an old bonfire site near Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve. Texas, September 25, 2021
Mature cups and mycelium of Ascomycete fungus Sphaerosporella brunnea on an old bonfire site near Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve. Texas, September 25, 2021
Ascomycete fungi Anthracobia maurilabra and Sphaerosporella brunnea on an old bonfire site near Pitcher Plant Trail in Big Thicket National Preserve. Texas, September 25, 2021
Brown Ascomycete mushrooms Sphaerosporella brunnea (S. hinnulea) on clayey soil in Bastrop State Park. Bastrop, Texas, May 17, 2024
Small cups of Ascomycete mushrooms Sphaerosporella brunnea (S. hinnulea) on bare soil in Bastrop State Park. Bastrop, Texas, May 17, 2024
Close-up of Ascomycete mushrooms Sphaerosporella brunnea (S. hinnulea) in Bastrop State Park. Bastrop, Texas, May 17, 2024
Cup fungus Sphaerosporella brunnea (S. hinnulea) on a side of a trail in Bastrop State Park. Bastrop, Texas, May 17, 2024
Asci of cup mushrooms Sphaerosporella brunnea under a microscope with x40 objective on a trodden path, mixed with old ash, collected in Bastrop State Park. Bastrop, Texas, May 17, 2024
Asci and paraphyses of cup mushrooms Sphaerosporella brunnea under a microscope with x100 objective on a trodden path, mixed with old ash, collected in Bastrop State Park. Bastrop, Texas, May 17, 2024
Asci with spores of cup mushrooms Sphaerosporella brunnea under a microscope with x40 objective on a trodden path, mixed with old ash, collected in Bastrop State Park. Bastrop, Texas, May 17, 2024
Paraphyses of cup mushrooms Sphaerosporella brunnea under a microscope with x100 objective collected in Bastrop State Park. Bastrop, Texas, May 17, 2024
Round spores inside asci of cup mushrooms Sphaerosporella brunnea collected in Bastrop State Park. Bastrop, Texas, May 17, 2024
Spores (in KOH) of brown Ascomycete mushrooms Sphaerosporella brunnea (S. hinnulea) collected a day before in Bastrop State Park. Texas, May 18, 2024Observations of the fungus Sphaerosporella brunnea in East and Central Texas reveal that it grows on burned wood and soil, often near bonfire sites. It was found in Big Thicket National Preserve and Bastrop State Park, typically in areas with disturbed soil or ash. The fungus forms small to large cup-shaped structures, sometimes packed closely together. Microscopic examination revealed asci, paraphyses, and round spores inside the asci. Sphaerosporella brunnea was often found alongside another fungus, Anthracobia maurilabra. In Bastrop State Park, it grew on clayey soil and bare soil, with small cups forming on trodden paths mixed with old ash. The observations suggest that Sphaerosporella brunnea is a fire-associated fungus that thrives in disturbed environments. Its growth habits and microscopic features were consistently observed across different locations and substrates.
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