Daldinia concentrica (Bolton) Ces. & De Not.
(King Alfred’s Cake, Cramp-ball)

Taxonomic hierarchy:
SpeciesDaldinia concentrica (King Alfred’s Cake, Cramp-ball)
GenusDaldinia (cramp-balls)
FamilyXYLARIACEAE (a family of stromatic pyrenomycetes)
OrderXYLARIALES (an order of pyrenomycetes)
SubclassSORDARIOMYCETIDAE (a subclass of ascomycetes and lichens)
ClassSORDARIOMYCETES (a class of ascomycetes)
SubphylumPEZIZOMYCOTINA (a subphylum of ascomycetes)
PhylumASCOMYCOTA (spore shooters, ascomycete)
KingdomFUNGI (true fungi)
DomainEukaryota (eukaryotes)
LifeBIOTA (living things)
Records of Daldinia concentrica (King Alfred’s Cake, Cramp-ball) :
1: Daldinia concentrica (King Alfred’s Cake, Cramp-ball)
3 Feb 1999 OSGR: SU56 51° 20’ N, 1° 20’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
On dead Ash trunk
Image 1: Immature fruitbodiesImage 2: Immature fruitbodies - close-upImage 3: Immature fruitbodyImage 4: Immature fruitbody - LSImage 5: Immature fruitbody - LS (2)Image 6: Immature fruitbody - LS (3)
2: Daldinia concentrica (King Alfred’s Cake, Cramp-ball)
10 Jun 1975 OSGR: TQ21 50° 50’ N, 0° 10’ W Vice County: East Sussex (VC 14) England
Image 1: Fruitbody with ascospore deposit

Identification Works

AuthorYearTitleSource
Stadler, M., et al 2004 Cryptic species related to Daldinia concentrica and D. eschscholzii, with notes on D. bakeri Mycol. Res. Vol 108 (3): 257-273.
Whalley, A.J.S. & Watling, R. 1980 Daldinia concentrica versus Daldinia vernicosa TBMS Vol 74 (2): 399-406.

Daldinia concentrica (King Alfred’s Cake, Cramp-ball) may also be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for Daldinia concentrica (King Alfred’s Cake, Cramp-ball)
BioInfoBioInfo (www.bioinfo.org.uk) has 26 host/parasite/foodplant and/or other relationships for Daldinia concentrica (King Alfred’s Cake, Cramp-ball)
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