As the name suggests, the caps of the scarlet elf cup are cup-shaped and scarlet, though they can also be orange in colour. They have barely discernible stems which attach to the leaf litter, giving them the appearance of hollow bowls lying on the woodland floor or on decaying branches. They have an irregularly shaped cup that have a smooth, bright red inner surface and then a paler, downy outer surface. The cups can measure up to 4cm in diameter. They have a short stem similar in colour to the outer surface of the cup. The Elf cup fungus is quite rare in this country. It favours areas with high rainfall and can be seen on decaying sticks and logs – especially in damp areas of the woodland floor. Visible only between February to the end of March.