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

Interactions where Daldinia concentrica is the dominant partner and gains from the process

The following relationships have been collated from the published literature (see 'Interaction References').

Stage Summary Taxon Vernacular Classification References Darwin Classification of Active Taxon Active Taxon Active Vernacular Active Taxon Uncertain Active State Active Part Active Stage Relationship Relationship Uncertain Relationship Geography Darwin Classification of Passive Taxon Passive Taxon Passive Vernacular Passive Taxon Uncertain Passive State Passive Part Passive Stage Passive Taxon's significance to Active Taxon Indoors etc Season
stroma (superficial) superficial stroma is saprobic on UK/IrelandMinor AlnusQuestionable alders Fagales: Betulaceae Microfungi on Land Plants: An Identification Handbook, Ellis, M.B. & J.P., 1997
Notes and Records (July 2001), Henrici, A., 2001
Daldinia concentrica versus Daldinia vernicosa, Whalley, A.J.S. & Watling, R., 1980
 /Fungi/Ascomycota/Sordariomycetes/Xylariales/Xylariaceae/Daldinia concentrica/Daldinia concentricaKing Alfred’s cake, cramp-ballsuperficialstroma Foodplant / saprobeUK and/or Eire /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Fagales/Betulaceae/Alnus/Alnusalders?Minor
stroma (superficial) superficial stroma is saprobic on UK/Ireland Betula birches Fagales: Betulaceae Daldinia concentrica versus Daldinia vernicosa, Whalley, A.J.S. & Watling, R., 1980
 /Fungi/Ascomycota/Sordariomycetes/Xylariales/Xylariaceae/Daldinia concentrica/Daldinia concentricaKing Alfred’s cake, cramp-ballsuperficialstroma Foodplant / saprobeUK and/or Eire /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Fagales/Betulaceae/Betula/Betulabirches
stroma (superficial) superficial stroma is saprobic on UK/IrelandRare Carpinus betulus Hornbeam Fagales: Betulaceae Daldinia concentrica versus Daldinia vernicosa, Whalley, A.J.S. & Watling, R., 1980
 /Fungi/Ascomycota/Sordariomycetes/Xylariales/Xylariaceae/Daldinia concentrica/Daldinia concentricaKing Alfred’s cake, cramp-ballsuperficialstroma Foodplant / saprobeUK and/or Eire /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Fagales/Betulaceae/Carpinus betulus/Carpinus betulushornbeamRare
stroma (superficial) superficial stroma is saprobic on UK/IrelandRare Corylus avellana Hazel Fagales: Betulaceae Daldinia concentrica versus Daldinia vernicosa, Whalley, A.J.S. & Watling, R., 1980
 /Fungi/Ascomycota/Sordariomycetes/Xylariales/Xylariaceae/Daldinia concentrica/Daldinia concentricaKing Alfred’s cake, cramp-ballsuperficialstroma Foodplant / saprobeUK and/or Eire /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Fagales/Betulaceae/Corylus avellana/Corylus avellanahazelRare
stroma (superficial) superficial stroma is saprobic on UK/IrelandRare Castanea sativa Sweet Chestnut Fagales: Fagaceae Daldinia concentrica versus Daldinia vernicosa, Whalley, A.J.S. & Watling, R., 1980
 /Fungi/Ascomycota/Sordariomycetes/Xylariales/Xylariaceae/Daldinia concentrica/Daldinia concentricaKing Alfred’s cake, cramp-ballsuperficialstroma Foodplant / saprobeUK and/or Eire /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Fagales/Fagaceae/Castanea sativa/Castanea sativasweet chestnutRare
stroma (superficial) superficial stroma is saprobic on UK/IrelandMajor Fagus sylvatica Beech Fagales: Fagaceae Microfungi on Land Plants: An Identification Handbook, Ellis, M.B. & J.P., 1997
Secondary metabolite profiles, genetic fingerprints and taxonomy of Daldinia and allies, Stadler, M., Wollweber, H., Mühlbauer, A., Henkel, T., Asakawa, Y., Hashimoto, T, 2001
Daldinia concentrica versus Daldinia vernicosa, Whalley, A.J.S. & Watling, R., 1980
 /Fungi/Ascomycota/Sordariomycetes/Xylariales/Xylariaceae/Daldinia concentrica/Daldinia concentricaKing Alfred’s cake, cramp-ballsuperficialstroma Foodplant / saprobeUK and/or Eire /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Fagales/Fagaceae/Fagus sylvatica/Fagus sylvaticabeechMajor
stroma (superficial) superficial stroma is saprobic on UK/Ireland Quercus oaks Fagales: Fagaceae Daldinia concentrica versus Daldinia vernicosa, Whalley, A.J.S. & Watling, R., 1980
 /Fungi/Ascomycota/Sordariomycetes/Xylariales/Xylariaceae/Daldinia concentrica/Daldinia concentricaKing Alfred’s cake, cramp-ballsuperficialstroma Foodplant / saprobeUK and/or Eire /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Fagales/Fagaceae/Quercus/Quercusoaks
stroma (superficial) superficial stroma parasitises live wood UK/Ireland Fraxinus ashes Lamiales: Oleaceae Pests, Diseases & Disorders of Garden Plants, Buczacki, S. & Harris, K., 1998
Daldinia concentrica versus Daldinia vernicosa, Whalley, A.J.S. & Watling, R., 1980
 /Fungi/Ascomycota/Sordariomycetes/Xylariales/Xylariaceae/Daldinia concentrica/Daldinia concentricaKing Alfred’s cake, cramp-ballsuperficialstroma Foodplant / parasiteUK and/or Eire /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Lamiales/Oleaceae/Fraxinus/Fraxinusasheslivewood
stroma (superficial) superficial stroma is saprobic on recently dead, attached branch UK/IrelandMajor Fraxinus ashes Lamiales: Oleaceae Pests, Diseases & Disorders of Garden Plants, Buczacki, S. & Harris, K., 1998
Microfungi on Land Plants: An Identification Handbook, Ellis, M.B. & J.P., 1997
Daldinia concentrica versus Daldinia vernicosa, Whalley, A.J.S. & Watling, R., 1980
 /Fungi/Ascomycota/Sordariomycetes/Xylariales/Xylariaceae/Daldinia concentrica/Daldinia concentricaKing Alfred’s cake, cramp-ballsuperficialstroma Foodplant / saprobeUK and/or Eire /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Lamiales/Oleaceae/Fraxinus/Fraxinusashesrecently dead, attachedbranchMajor
stroma (superficial) superficial stroma is saprobic on recently dead, fallen branch UK/IrelandMajor Fraxinus ashes Lamiales: Oleaceae Pests, Diseases & Disorders of Garden Plants, Buczacki, S. & Harris, K., 1998
Microfungi on Land Plants: An Identification Handbook, Ellis, M.B. & J.P., 1997
Daldinia concentrica versus Daldinia vernicosa, Whalley, A.J.S. & Watling, R., 1980
 /Fungi/Ascomycota/Sordariomycetes/Xylariales/Xylariaceae/Daldinia concentrica/Daldinia concentricaKing Alfred’s cake, cramp-ballsuperficialstroma Foodplant / saprobeUK and/or Eire /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Lamiales/Oleaceae/Fraxinus/Fraxinusashesrecently dead, fallenbranchMajor
stroma (superficial) superficial stroma is saprobic on wood Populus poplars Malpighiales: Salicaceae Secondary metabolite profiles, genetic fingerprints and taxonomy of Daldinia and allies, Stadler, M., Wollweber, H., Mühlbauer, A., Henkel, T., Asakawa, Y., Hashimoto, T, 2001
 /Fungi/Ascomycota/Sordariomycetes/Xylariales/Xylariaceae/Daldinia concentrica/Daldinia concentricaKing Alfred’s cake, cramp-ballsuperficialstroma Foodplant / saprobe /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Malpighiales/Salicaceae/Populus/Populuspoplarswood
stroma (superficial) superficial stroma is saprobic on UK/IrelandMinor SalixQuestionable willows Malpighiales: Salicaceae Microfungi on Land Plants: An Identification Handbook, Ellis, M.B. & J.P., 1997
Notes and Records (July 2001), Henrici, A., 2001
Daldinia concentrica versus Daldinia vernicosa, Whalley, A.J.S. & Watling, R., 1980
 /Fungi/Ascomycota/Sordariomycetes/Xylariales/Xylariaceae/Daldinia concentrica/Daldinia concentricaKing Alfred’s cake, cramp-ballsuperficialstroma Foodplant / saprobeUK and/or Eire /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Malpighiales/Salicaceae/Salix/Salixwillows?Minor
stroma (superficial) superficial stroma is saprobic on UK/IrelandRare Platanus occidentalis x orientalis = P. x hispanica London plane Proteales: Platanaceae Daldinia concentrica versus Daldinia vernicosa, Whalley, A.J.S. & Watling, R., 1980
 /Fungi/Ascomycota/Sordariomycetes/Xylariales/Xylariaceae/Daldinia concentrica/Daldinia concentricaKing Alfred’s cake, cramp-ballsuperficialstroma Foodplant / saprobeUK and/or Eire /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Proteales/Platanaceae/Platanus occidentalis x orientalis = P. x hispanica/Platanus occidentalis x orientalis = P. x hispanicaLondon planeRare
stroma (superficial) superficial stroma is saprobic on UK/IrelandRare Crataegus hawthorns Rosales: Rosaceae Daldinia concentrica versus Daldinia vernicosa, Whalley, A.J.S. & Watling, R., 1980
 /Fungi/Ascomycota/Sordariomycetes/Xylariales/Xylariaceae/Daldinia concentrica/Daldinia concentricaKing Alfred’s cake, cramp-ballsuperficialstroma Foodplant / saprobeUK and/or Eire /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Rosales/Rosaceae/Crataegus/CrataegushawthornsRare
stroma (superficial) superficial stroma is saprobic on wood Foreign Sorbus whitebeams Rosales: Rosaceae Secondary metabolite profiles, genetic fingerprints and taxonomy of Daldinia and allies, Stadler, M., Wollweber, H., Mühlbauer, A., Henkel, T., Asakawa, Y., Hashimoto, T, 2001
 /Fungi/Ascomycota/Sordariomycetes/Xylariales/Xylariaceae/Daldinia concentrica/Daldinia concentricaKing Alfred’s cake, cramp-ballsuperficialstroma Foodplant / saprobeForeign /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Rosales/Rosaceae/Sorbus/Sorbuswhitebeamswood
stroma (superficial) superficial stroma is saprobic on wood UK/IrelandRare Sorbus aucuparia Rowan, Mountain Ash Rosales: Rosaceae Daldinia concentrica versus Daldinia vernicosa, Whalley, A.J.S. & Watling, R., 1980
 /Fungi/Ascomycota/Sordariomycetes/Xylariales/Xylariaceae/Daldinia concentrica/Daldinia concentricaKing Alfred’s cake, cramp-ballsuperficialstroma Foodplant / saprobeUK and/or Eire /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Rosales/Rosaceae/Sorbus aucuparia/Sorbus aucupariarowan, mountain ashwoodRare
stroma (superficial) superficial stroma is saprobic on wood UK/IrelandRare Sorbus torminalis Wild Service-tree Rosales: Rosaceae Daldinia concentrica versus Daldinia vernicosa, Whalley, A.J.S. & Watling, R., 1980
 /Fungi/Ascomycota/Sordariomycetes/Xylariales/Xylariaceae/Daldinia concentrica/Daldinia concentricaKing Alfred’s cake, cramp-ballsuperficialstroma Foodplant / saprobeUK and/or Eire /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Rosales/Rosaceae/Sorbus torminalis/Sorbus torminaliswild service-treewoodRare
stroma (superficial) superficial stroma is saprobic on wood Foreign Ulmus elms Rosales: Ulmaceae Secondary metabolite profiles, genetic fingerprints and taxonomy of Daldinia and allies, Stadler, M., Wollweber, H., Mühlbauer, A., Henkel, T., Asakawa, Y., Hashimoto, T, 2001
 /Fungi/Ascomycota/Sordariomycetes/Xylariales/Xylariaceae/Daldinia concentrica/Daldinia concentricaKing Alfred’s cake, cramp-ballsuperficialstroma Foodplant / saprobeForeign /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Rosales/Ulmaceae/Ulmus/Ulmuselmswood
stroma (superficial) superficial stroma is saprobic on wood UK/IrelandRare Ulmus glabra Wych Elm Rosales: Ulmaceae Daldinia concentrica versus Daldinia vernicosa, Whalley, A.J.S. & Watling, R., 1980
 /Fungi/Ascomycota/Sordariomycetes/Xylariales/Xylariaceae/Daldinia concentrica/Daldinia concentricaKing Alfred’s cake, cramp-ballsuperficialstroma Foodplant / saprobeUK and/or Eire /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Rosales/Ulmaceae/Ulmus glabra/Ulmus glabrawych elmwoodRare
stroma (superficial) superficial stroma is saprobic on UK/IrelandMinor AcerQuestionable maples Sapindales: Sapindaceae Microfungi on Land Plants: An Identification Handbook, Ellis, M.B. & J.P., 1997
Notes and Records (July 2001), Henrici, A., 2001
Daldinia concentrica versus Daldinia vernicosa, Whalley, A.J.S. & Watling, R., 1980
 /Fungi/Ascomycota/Sordariomycetes/Xylariales/Xylariaceae/Daldinia concentrica/Daldinia concentricaKing Alfred’s cake, cramp-ballsuperficialstroma Foodplant / saprobeUK and/or Eire /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Sapindales/Sapindaceae/Acer/Acermaples?Minor
stroma (superficial) superficial stroma is saprobic on UK/Ireland Acer campestre Field Maple Sapindales: Sapindaceae Daldinia concentrica versus Daldinia vernicosa, Whalley, A.J.S. & Watling, R., 1980
 /Fungi/Ascomycota/Sordariomycetes/Xylariales/Xylariaceae/Daldinia concentrica/Daldinia concentricaKing Alfred’s cake, cramp-ballsuperficialstroma Foodplant / saprobeUK and/or Eire /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Sapindales/Sapindaceae/Acer campestre/Acer campestrefield maple
stroma (superficial) superficial stroma is saprobic on UK/IrelandRare Acer pseudoplatanus Sycamore, Great Maple Sapindales: Sapindaceae Daldinia concentrica versus Daldinia vernicosa, Whalley, A.J.S. & Watling, R., 1980
 /Fungi/Ascomycota/Sordariomycetes/Xylariales/Xylariaceae/Daldinia concentrica/Daldinia concentricaKing Alfred’s cake, cramp-ballsuperficialstroma Foodplant / saprobeUK and/or Eire /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Sapindales/Sapindaceae/Acer pseudoplatanus/Acer pseudoplatanussycamore, great mapleRare
stroma (superficial) superficial stroma is saprobic on UK/IrelandRare Aesculus hippocastanum Horse Chestnut, Horse-chestnut Sapindales: Sapindaceae Daldinia concentrica versus Daldinia vernicosa, Whalley, A.J.S. & Watling, R., 1980
 /Fungi/Ascomycota/Sordariomycetes/Xylariales/Xylariaceae/Daldinia concentrica/Daldinia concentricaKing Alfred’s cake, cramp-ballsuperficialstroma Foodplant / saprobeUK and/or Eire /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Sapindales/Sapindaceae/Aesculus hippocastanum/Aesculus hippocastanumhorse chestnut, horse-chestnutRare

Interactions where Daldinia concentrica is the victim or passive partner (and generally loses out from the process)

The following relationships have been collated from the published literature (see 'Interaction References').

Filters:

Affected Part Summary Taxon Vernacular Classification References Darwin Classification of Active Taxon Active Taxon Active Vernacular Active Taxon Uncertain Active State Active Part Active Stage Relationship Relationship Uncertain Relationship Geography Darwin Classification of Passive Taxon Passive Taxon Passive Vernacular Passive Taxon Uncertain Passive State Passive Part Passive Stage Passive Taxon's significance to Active Taxon Indoors etc Season Summary
(dead) dead ascocarp is decayed by colony of Verticillium anamorph Nectria inventa a pyrenomycete Hypocreales: Nectriaceae Bioimages - the Virtual Field Guide, Storey, M.W., 2015
 /Fungi/Ascomycota/Sordariomycetes/Hypocreales/Nectriaceae/Nectria inventa/Nectria inventaa pyrenomycetecolonyVerticillium anamorph Fungus / saprobe /Fungi/Ascomycota/Sordariomycetes/Xylariales/Xylariaceae/Daldinia concentrica/Daldinia concentricaKing Alfred’s cake, cramp-balldeadascocarp colony of Verticillium anamorph is saprobic on dead ascocarp
fruitbody fruitbody may contain larva Biphyllus lunatus a biphyllid beetle Coleoptera: Biphyllidae Host Plants of British Beetles: A List of Recorded Associations, Bullock, J.A., 1992
 /Animalia/Arthropoda/Insecta/Coleoptera/Biphyllidae/Biphyllus lunatus/Biphyllus lunatusa biphyllid beetlelarva Fungus / internal feeder /Fungi/Ascomycota/Sordariomycetes/Xylariales/Xylariaceae/Daldinia concentrica/Daldinia concentricaKing Alfred’s cake, cramp-ballfruitbody larva feeds within fruitbody
fruitbody fruitbody may contain larva Platyrhinus resinosus Cramp-ball Fungus Weevil Coleoptera: Anthribidae Host Plants of British Beetles: A List of Recorded Associations, Bullock, J.A., 1992
Orthocerous Weevils, Morris, M.G., 1990
 /Animalia/Arthropoda/Insecta/Coleoptera/Anthribidae/Platyrhinus resinosus/Platyrhinus resinosuscramp-ball fungus weevillarva Fungus / internal feeder /Fungi/Ascomycota/Sordariomycetes/Xylariales/Xylariaceae/Daldinia concentrica/Daldinia concentricaKing Alfred’s cake, cramp-ballfruitbody larva feeds within fruitbody

Author & YearTitleSource
Buczacki, S. & Harris, K., 1998Pests, Diseases & Disorders of Garden PlantsCollins Photoguide, 2nd edition edition, Collins
Bullock, J.A., 1992Host Plants of British Beetles: A List of Recorded Associations11a, 24pp, Amateur Entomologists’ Society
Ellis, M.B. & J.P., 1997Microfungi on Land Plants: An Identification Handbook2nd (New Enlarged) edition, 868pp, The Richmond Publishing Co. Ltd
Henrici, A., 2001Notes and Records (July 2001)Field Mycology Vol 2 (3): 80-81.
Morris, M.G., 1990Orthocerous WeevilsHandbooks for the Identification of British Insects, Vol 5 Part 16, 108pp, The Royal Entomological Society of London
Stadler, M., Wollweber, H., Mühlbauer, A., Henkel, T., Asakawa, Y., Hashimoto, T, 2001Secondary metabolite profiles, genetic fingerprints and taxonomy of Daldinia and alliesMycotaxon 77: 379-429.
Storey, M.W., 2015Bioimages - the Virtual Field Guidewww.bioimages.org.uk
Whalley, A.J.S. & Watling, R., 1980Daldinia concentrica versus Daldinia vernicosaTBMS Vol 74 (2): 399-406.

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

Daldinia concentrica (King Alfred’s Cake, Cramp-ball) may also be included in 'fed on by' relations listed under the following higher taxa:

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)
NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for Daldinia concentrica (King Alfred’s Cake, Cramp-ball)

Identification Works

Handling & MagnificationAuthorYearTitleSource
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:

General Works

AuthorYearTitleSource
Boddy, L., Gibbon, O.M. & Grundy, M.A. 1985 Ecology of Daldinia concentrica: effect of abiotic variables on mycelial extension and interspecific interactions. TBMS Vol 85 (2): 201-211.
Findlay, W.P.K. 1951 A note on the fungi of less common occurrence in houses TBMS Vol 34 (1): 35-37, Plate 3.
Henrici, A. 2001 Notes and Records (July 2001) Field Mycology Vol 2 (3): 80-81.
Ingold, C.T. 1946 Spore discharge in Daldinia concentrica TBMS 29 (1+2): 43-51.
Reid, D.A. 1978 Unusual hosts for some common British fungi Bull. Br. mycol. Soc. Vol 12 (2): 87-89.
Sharland, P.R. & Rayner, A.D.M. 1986 Mycelial interactions in Daldinia concentrica TBMS Vol 86 (4): 643-649.

Literature listed under the following higher taxa may also be relevant to Daldinia concentrica (King Alfred’s Cake, Cramp-ball):

BioImagesBioImages (www.bioimages.org.uk) has 7 images of Daldinia concentrica (King Alfred’s Cake, Cramp-ball)
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