Otidea onotica (Pers.) Fuckel
Family: Pyronemataceae
Donkey Ears
Otidea onotica image
National Mushroom Centre  
Mata, M., D. Penjor and S. Pradham. 2010. Fungi of Bhutan. National Mushroom Centre, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, Thimphu, Bhutan.

Local name: No local name known

Edibility: Unknown

Habitat: Terrestrial and solitary to gregarious.

Description: Fruiting Bodies: Spoon-shaped, ear-shaped, or cup-like, with a cleft down one side, up to 10 cm high and 6 cm across. Inner surface:  Yellowish to orange, often with rose or pink areas. Outer surface: Con-coloured to inner surface but lacking pink or rose shades, often finely fuzzy.  Stem: If present whitish, small and rudimentary. Flesh: Pale yellowish and brittle. Spore Print: Creamy white.

Comment: The erect growth habit and ear-like fruiting body plus the orange to pinkish-tinged fertile surface separate this from most other cup fungi. The apex of the fruiting body is not broadly flattened or truncate as is typical of O. alutacea. Other species, O. leporina has yellowish-brown interior and brownish exterior, but is otherwise quite similar. O.concinna and O. cantharella are both pale to bright yellow, but often have a broadened or truncate apex.