Fungi are such a diverse group of organisms that often it's difficult to believe what you're looking at is related to the mushrooms we use in the kitchen. I have stumbled across many a fungus that sparks this kind of reaction in me, one of which is King Alfred's Cakes, or Daldinia concentrica.
They are extremely bizarre-looking, forming large black lumps on dead wood. Where there's one, there tends to be multiple. Their name is derived from the story of King Alfred, who allegedly hid in the house of a peasant woman whilst the Vikings were wreaking havoc. The woman asked Alfred to watch her cakes in the oven; however he was so distracted by his problems that he let them burn. And I suppose these fungi are what the cakes looked like in the end. Rather fitting, too, as they feel smooth, hard, and if you tap on them, they sound hollow inside.
In fact, if you were to cut open one of these 'cakes', what you'd find inside is zones of shiny circles. Although they're not edible, they can be extremely useful for holding an ember and, as they're around all year, you're bound to find one!
Characteristics
Habitat: On dead wood, mostly ash
Fruit body: Black, hard and shiny. Inside, concentric zones of black and silver.
Spore print: Black
Season: All year
Edibility: Inedible
Although admittedly strange-looking, these funky fungi have some uses and definitely know what they're doing - one of these guys can survive for years!
Disclaimer: I am not an expert. Never eat a mushroom you've found without confirmation that it is edible by an expert.
They are extremely bizarre-looking, forming large black lumps on dead wood. Where there's one, there tends to be multiple. Their name is derived from the story of King Alfred, who allegedly hid in the house of a peasant woman whilst the Vikings were wreaking havoc. The woman asked Alfred to watch her cakes in the oven; however he was so distracted by his problems that he let them burn. And I suppose these fungi are what the cakes looked like in the end. Rather fitting, too, as they feel smooth, hard, and if you tap on them, they sound hollow inside.
In fact, if you were to cut open one of these 'cakes', what you'd find inside is zones of shiny circles. Although they're not edible, they can be extremely useful for holding an ember and, as they're around all year, you're bound to find one!
Characteristics
Habitat: On dead wood, mostly ash
Fruit body: Black, hard and shiny. Inside, concentric zones of black and silver.
Spore print: Black
Season: All year
Edibility: Inedible
Although admittedly strange-looking, these funky fungi have some uses and definitely know what they're doing - one of these guys can survive for years!
Disclaimer: I am not an expert. Never eat a mushroom you've found without confirmation that it is edible by an expert.
Comments
Post a Comment