228. Jellied Bird's Nest Fungus

These tiny cups were found on a piece of cut Douglas-fir wood, waiting for a drop of rain to sploosh out the peridioles (egg) as far as a couple of metres. The sticky mucilage that the eggs sit in within the peridium or nest will help them stick where ever they land. The outer wall of the peridiole will eventually decay to release the spores contained within. This is  Nidula candida, nidula meaning "tiny nest" in Latin and candida meaning white.  

When they are younger they have a lid that covers the inside of the nest -this had disappeared by the time that we found these ones.