a small, fleshy, saucer-shaped fungus, Sarcoscypha coccinea, of the family Sarcoscyphaceae, marked by a scarlet inner surface and white exterior, seen on fallen branches in the spring.
a discomycete that is a harbinger of spring; the fruiting body is thin and tough and saucer-shaped (about the size of quarter to a half dollar) with a deep bright red upper surface and a whitish exterior [syn: Sarcoscypha coccinea]