Neottiella rutilans
Despite its rich peach-orange colouration, Neottiella rutilans (Pezizales: Pyronemataceae) is a small ascomycete fungus that is easily overlooked where it grows, typically among Polytrichum mosses on heathland or in light, sandy soils. Its close association with Polytrichum is characteristic of many species, which often form specialised parasitic or parasymbiotic relationships with their moss hosts.
The fruiting bodies are shallow cups or discs, generally 5–15 mm across. When several develop in close proximity, their margins may become irregular, undulating, or slightly contorted due to crowding. Under moist conditions, the fertile surface may appear more prominent as the asci mature and release their spores.
The examples described here were photographed in a West Sussex dune system, a habitat where the species’ small size and moss-embedded growth habit make it particularly easy to miss without close inspection.
References:
Phillips, R. (2006). Mushrooms. London: Pan Macmillan, p. 367, fig. p. 366, e.
Sterry, P. and Hughes. B. (2009). Collins Complete Guide to British Mushrooms and Toadstools. London: HarperCollins, p. 314, fig. p. 315.
https://www.speciesfungorum.org/Names/SynSpecies.asp?RecordID=335144 [Accessed, 10th December 2025].
https://www.mycobank.org/page/Name%20details%20page/name/Neottiella%20rutilans [Accessed, 10th December 2025].