Sarcoscypha coccinea, commonly known as the scarlet elf cup, is a species of fungus in the family Sarcoscyphaceae of the order Pezizales. Widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere, it has been found in Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America, and Australia. It grows on decaying sticks and branches in damp spots on forest floors, generally buried under leaf litter or in the soil. The cup-shaped fruit bodies are usually produced during the cooler months of winter and early spring. The brilliant red interiors of the cups, from which the common and scientific names are derived, contrast with the lighter exteriors. The edibility of the fruit bodies is not clearly established, but their small size, tough texture and insubstantial fruitings would dissuade most people from collecting for the table. The fungus has been used medicinally by the Oneida Indians, and as a colorful component of table decorations in England. The species Molliardiomyces eucoccinea is an imperfect form of the fungus that lacks a sexually reproductive stage in its life cycle. (Full article...)
1794 – American inventor Eli Whitney patented the cotton gin(pictured), the first ever machine that quickly and easily separated cotton fibers from their seedpods.
Homme au bain ("Man at His Bath") is an oil painting completed by the French ImpressionistGustave Caillebotte in 1884. The canvas measures 145 by 114 centimetres (57 in × 45 in). The painting was held in private collections from the artist's death until June 2011, when it was acquired by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Interpretations of the painting and its male nude have contrasted the figure's masculinity with his vulnerability.
This Wikipedia is written in English. Started in 2001 (2001), it currently contains 5,104,143 articles. Many other Wikipedias are available; some of the largest are listed below.
