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Orange peel fungus (Aleuria aurantia), whole fruiting body
Nova Patch · CC BY-SA 4.0
Inedible

Orange peel fungus

Aleuria aurantia · Pyronemataceae

The orange peel fungus (Aleuria aurantia) is a stemless cup fungus that looks like discarded orange peel: bright orange inside, paler and slightly downy outside.

Last updated: Prepared by the Poros Mantar editorial team7 sources checkedReport a correction

FamilyPyronemataceae
SeasonSep–Jan
Spore printWhite
Cap width1–10 cm
Records in Turkey7 records
CultivationWild only
StatusInedible

The orange peel fungus (Aleuria aurantia) is a stemless cup fungus that looks like discarded orange peel: bright orange inside, paler and slightly downy outside. It grows in groups on bare, disturbed soil, path edges and gravel. It is not known to be poisonous; some sources call it edible, but it is thin, small and brittle with little culinary value. Our advice is not to eat it.

Also called: orange peel Turkish: Portakal kabuğu mantarı

Orange peel fungus (Aleuria aurantia), in its natural habitat

How to recognise it

Orange peel fungus, part by part

No ring or volva Spore print: White No distinctive smell.

Orange peel fungus (Aleuria aurantia), cap seen from above
Cap1–10 cm, a stemless cup or saucer that flattens with age, its margin becoming wavy and split. The inner (upper) surface is bright orange and smooth.
Orange peel fungus (Aleuria aurantia), smooth underside, close-up
Smooth undersideNo gills or pores. The outer surface is paler orange, finely downy and looks whitish and powdery.
StemNo stem, or a very short one; the cup sits directly on the soil.

When and where

Sep–Jan

  1. Janin season
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sepin season
  10. Octin season
  11. Novin season
  12. Decin season

The orange peel fungus appears in autumn and winter. Turkish sightings run from September to January, most in October.

Type Inedible

Months seen JanuarySeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember

Colour Orange

Regions Black Sea RegionAegean RegionMarmara RegionİzmirMuğlaKastamonuBoluIstanbulKırklareli

Where does orange peel fungus grow?

On forest tracks and path edges, freshly disturbed or compacted bare soil, gravel and sandy ground, and among grass, usually in dense groups. It feeds on decaying plant matter in the soil.

Where is orange peel fungus found in Turkey?

Our map data (GBIF and iNaturalist) holds 7 Turkish records: Bolu 2, and one each from Istanbul, Kastamonu, İzmir, Kırklareli and Muğla. It is also recorded on soil in mixed woodland at Tonya, Trabzon (Uzun and Kaya, 2022) and in fir forest in the Yuvacık basin, Kocaeli (2018).

Which months

  1. Jan2
  2. Feb0
  3. Mar0
  4. Apr0
  5. May0
  6. Jun0
  7. Jul0
  8. Aug0
  9. Sep0
  10. Oct3
  11. Nov2
  12. Dec0

6 provinces, 7 observations (GBIF, iNaturalist); months from observation dates. Record density also reflects where observers work.

Latest orange peel fungus observations

On "illustrative" cards the image is a photo of the species; the observation photo cannot be shown here because of its licence, but can be seen at the source.

Orange peel fungus (Aleuria aurantia), in its natural habitat
In its habitat
Orange peel fungus (Aleuria aurantia), in its natural habitat
In its habitat

Look-alikes

What could it be confused with?

Orange peel fungus can be mistaken for the species below. Each card shows the look-alike and how it differs from Orange peel fungus.

Orange peel fungus (Aleuria aurantia), whole fruiting body
This species Orange peel fungus
Scarlet elf cup (Sarcoscypha coccinea) Inedible

not Orange peel fungus

Scarlet elf cup Sarcoscypha coccinea

Bright scarlet inside, with a short stem, and it grows on fallen or buried dead twigs rather than bare soil, mostly in late winter and spring.

Spring orange peel (Caloscypha fulgens) Inedible

not Orange peel fungus

Spring orange peel Caloscypha fulgens

Yellowish orange, it appears in spring under conifers, and its margin and outside stain blue-green when bruised or with age.

Hare's ear (Otidea onotica) Inedible

not Orange peel fungus

Hare's ear Otidea onotica

Not a cup but an upright, ear-shaped fruit body split down one side, yellowish orange to pinkish. It grows on broadleaf woodland soil.

Eyelash cup (Scutellinia scutellata) Inedible

not Orange peel fungus

Eyelash cup Scutellinia scutellata

Much smaller (1–1.5 cm), orange-red with dark eyelash-like hairs on the rim; it grows on wet wood or soil.

What it contains

Little culinary value; it is thin and brittle.

General information, not a health claim.

The orange peel fungus is not known to be poisonous, and some sources say it can be eaten. But it is thin, small and brittle with little culinary value, and carries no health claims. Our advice is not to eat it. If poisoning is suspected, call poison control and keep any leftover mushroom.

Frequently asked questions

Is the orange peel fungus edible?

It is not known to be poisonous and some sources call it edible, but it is thin and brittle with little culinary value. Our advice is not to eat it.

Is the orange peel fungus poisonous?

Sources give no record of it being poisonous. Most orange cup fungi are not known to be poisonous either, and it has no dangerous look-alike.

Why is it called orange peel?

Its bright orange, curled cups look just like discarded orange peel lying on the ground.

How do you tell it from the scarlet elf cup?

The scarlet elf cup (Sarcoscypha coccinea) is red, short-stemmed and grows on dead twigs. The orange peel fungus is orange, stemless and grows on bare soil.

Where and when does it grow?

In autumn and winter, on forest tracks and path edges, bare disturbed soil and gravel, usually in groups.

Where is it found in Turkey?

Our map data has 7 records from Bolu, Istanbul, Kastamonu, İzmir, Kırklareli and Muğla, and it is also recorded in macrofungi surveys from Trabzon and Kocaeli.

Where does the Turkish name come from?

"Portakal kabuğu mantarı" is its Turkish name on iNaturalist and means the same as the English "orange peel fungus".

When is orange peel fungus season in Turkey?

In our calendar, orange peel fungus season runs Sep–Jan. The orange peel fungus appears in autumn and winter. Turkish sightings run from September to January, most in October.

Where does orange peel fungus grow?

On forest tracks and path edges, freshly disturbed or compacted bare soil, gravel and sandy ground, and among grass, usually in dense groups. It feeds on decaying plant matter in the soil.

Where is orange peel fungus found in Turkey?

Our map data (GBIF and iNaturalist) holds 7 Turkish records: Bolu 2, and one each from Istanbul, Kastamonu, İzmir, Kırklareli and Muğla. It is also recorded on soil in mixed woodland at Tonya, Trabzon (Uzun and Kaya, 2022) and in fir forest in the Yuvacık basin, Kocaeli (2018).

What can orange peel fungus be confused with?

Orange peel fungus can be confused with scarlet elf cup (Sarcoscypha coccinea, inedible), spring orange peel (Caloscypha fulgens, inedible), Hare's ear (Otidea onotica, inedible) and eyelash cup (Scutellinia scutellata, inedible). Look-alikes are compared on this page.

What is orange peel fungus called in Turkish?

In Turkish, orange peel fungus (Aleuria aurantia) is called Portakal kabuğu mantarı.

Related species

All species → · Identify by photo →

Sources

  1. Uzun ve Kaya (2022), KSÜ Tarım ve Doğa Dergisi 25(1): Macromycetes Determined in Tonya (Trabzon) District dergipark.org.tr
  2. Kastamonu Üniversitesi Orman Fakültesi Dergisi (2018) 18(2): Macrofungi determined in Yuvacık Basin (Kocaeli) dergipark.org.tr
  3. Wikipedia (EN): Aleuria aurantia en.wikipedia.org
All sources (7)
  1. First Nature: Aleuria aurantia, Orange Peel Fungus first-nature.com
  2. iNaturalist: Aleuria aurantia (Türkiye gözlemleri) inaturalist.org
  3. GBIF: Türkiye kayıtları gbif.org
  4. MushroomExpert: Aleuria aurantia mushroomexpert.com
Photo credits (8)