By Annella
Northamptonshire,
United Kingdom 
Can anyone tell me what this is forming on top of the soil in one of my cutting pots. The plant is Cistus × pulverulentus 'Sunset'. I have about 30 pots of cuttings outside but all bar this one are clear.
3 Feb, 2012
Answers
Thanks Bulba and yes all peat free compost.
3 Feb, 2012
These are lovely aren't they - like tiny bowls.Worth looking at with a magnifier! I think they belong to the family humariacae. My book says there are about 40 members of which it pictures 13, None exactly match yours, which seems to be the way of things you try to identify.
3 Feb, 2012
If they split open to show 4 "seeds"--actually spore bodies--they are probably cup fungus. Those are completely harmless, and some species are beneficial, acting like mycorrhizae.
3 Feb, 2012
I am so pleased I asked the question now and yes Steragram they do look like tiny bowls. My first instinct was eggs from something nasty. Thank you all for the info.
3 Feb, 2012
They look like fungi of some sort. You appear to be using a peat-free compost, good, and they would have grown frrom this. They should be completely harmless.
3 Feb, 2012