Looks very much like Hyaloscypha aureliella to me.

First, the apothecia is typically undulating when mature and it grows on softwood trunk. Spore size (6-10 um) fits well, also the shape. Aureliella typically has these two smallish glubules on both ends. Croziers present. Hairs size and shape +- ok, although the hair base is here maybe more bulbous than usually, granules present (check them in MLZ).

Often there are MLZ+ nodules in the excipulum. Rather small and inconspicious, but still clear if you look for them. A good aid, and to my knowledge, "rules out" other options.

--or then, work out the key by Huhtinen (Karstenia  vol 29). There are some pirate pdf:s also around...

Timo

A big thank you for your help and information Timo!

I will try Melzer as you suggest and will refer a picture tonight.

Best regards,

Bernard 

I don't think this is aureliella. The upper hair part is much too narrow. Also H. aureliella typically has yellowish resin on the hairs.

My guess is H. fuckelii, which I sometimes had on conifers too.
Zotto

Yes! The resins should be there (water mount) in most collections, if not, then fuckelii is a better guess. That would explain the hair shape too...

Timo

Hi Timo and Zotto,

Here are more pictures of the hairs in the water. I see very small crystals but no yellowish resin. The hair is very narrowed to the top.

I also checked the excipulum in Melzer: nothing to report

Bernard

Very good photos! I remember Huhtinen stressed that in some species the hair warts disappear in MLZ, but I can't remember in which, and don't imagine that they disappear in H. fuckelii.

Thank you for your answer Zotto !  But notes that for the pictures here, I've used water mount and not Melzer. I have not kept photos of preparations with Melzer but I remember they were always seen small warts on the hairs.

Bernard

Great photos Bernard,

Aureliella is ruled out. No resins in the hairs / no amyloid nodules in excipulum and also these multiple small warts along the hairs don't fit aureliella.

According to Huhtinen's monograph H. fuckelii hairs are smooth in MLZ (and other solvents) - very rarely there are some apical warts after MLZ/CB. Was this the case? I am not sure if your pictures include hairs in solvents... Need to go to lab, I'll get back to this in the afternoon.

Timo

Thank you for your message Timo !

I had observed the hairs in Melzer mount but I could not find satisfactory my photos, I have not kept them. But I remember seeing a small ball at the top of the hair with Melzer. Tonight, I will take of photos hairs in Melzer.

Bernard 

Hi Zotto and Timo,

Here are 4 pictures of hairs in Melzer. The hairs don't seem quite smooth and the end shows a small ball.

Bernard

Yes, the hairs are not totally smooth and the tip of the hair is to be noted. But solvent did remove the numerous tiny granules seen in the water mount. This points to H.fuckelii. Most of the Hyaloscypha species include a lot of variation. And Seppo (Huhtinen) just mentioned that he had seen hairs like these (clearly lageniform) among the >200 aureliella populations he has drawn. But for know, fuckelii, or does Zotto have a second opinion?

If you don't mind sending live material I'd be happy to make a culture out of it. We are working on Hyaloscyphaceae systematics and I have so far only one fuckelii-collection and that is from Scandinavia as are most of the others. Some French(?) colour to our project wouldn't do any harm!

Timo

It was fine to see that the small ganules disappeared in MLZ, I agree!
No other idea than fuckelii. Yes, it would be great to make a culture and sequence.
I also wonder about whether H. aureliella and its var. britannica are genetically different.

If anyone has live H.britannica I'd be happy culture it too. Might even send a box of chocolate in return. ...it doesn't necessarely have to be UK material ;-)!

Timo

Hello Timo and Zotto and thank you for your recent comments!
Timo, can I have your mailing address to send the live material ?

Thank you in advance !

Bernard

It is fuckelii all right, and it looks like we got a good culture. Thank you Bernard!

Timo

Very glad to hear it! Good luck in your work Timo !

Bernard