Scarlet Cup Fungus

I found this specimen in late May near Springfield, MO. These are fairly common in spring, but are one of my favorites to photograph.

According to Michael Kuo of mushroomexpert.com:

Field guides typically treat this mushroom as “Sarcoscypha coccinea,” though that species is actually found only in the Pacific Northwest. Sarcoscypha dudleyi and Sarcoscypha austriaca are the eastern species–but separating them, unfortunately, requires a microscope. See the gory details below, under “Microscopic Features.”