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Picture taken on 29 March 2020, Czech Republic (Middle Europe). The cap is red, and its shape is "inverted". It is quite tough, first I thought it was a piece of plastic, but apparently it is growing from the ground.
What is the mushroom - if it is a mushroom :) ?
Looks like Sarcoscypha Austriaca (scarlet elfcup). It's actually used in many textbooks as a representative species for the Ascomycetes.
Details from Wikipedia and Messiah.edu both confirm that this species is found in Europe and that it is typically found either as solitary or clustered fruiting bodies (2-5 cm wide) growing among rotting wood matter in damp wooded floors in the spring.
Photos below:
Source: Wikimedia
Credit: William Roody; Source: Messiah.edu
Read more at MushroomExpert.com.
