A European fungus which produces a shiny spherical black fruiting body on dead or dying wood, especially ash.
Daldinia concentrica, family Xylariaceae, subdivision Ascomycotina
Also called King Alfred's cakes
Example sentencesExamples
- Black cramp balls, or King Alfred's Cakes, pepper the trunk of an old ash.
- Certain fungi make very good tinder, in particular; cramp balls and horse's hoof fungus.
- Daldinia concentrica also known as King Alfred's cakes, cramp balls or coal fungus is one of the more common species.
- Dead ash trees are the best places to look for the, shiny fruiting bodies of the fungus Daldinia concentrica, King Alfred's Cakes or cramp balls.
- Of course, even if you've done as I suggest, your cramp balls can be re-infested at a later date unless stored in a bug-proof container.