King alfred's cakes (Daldinia concentrica) N omb res comu n es: Kip sup' (Lacandón) / T'ot' (Tseltal) ¿Tienes alguna duda, sugerencia o corrección acerca de este taxón? Envíanosla y con gusto la atenderemos. Foto: (c) finlaycox143, algunos derechos reservados (CC BY-NC) Descripción de EOL Ver en EOL (inglés) → Biology 1 Fungi are neither plants nor animals but belong to their own kingdom. They are unable to produce their own food through the process of photosynthesis, as plants do; instead, they acquire nutrients from living or dead plants, animals, or other fungi, as animals do. In many larger fungi (lichens excepted) the only visible parts are the fruit bodies, which arise from a largely unseen network of threads called 'hyphae'. These hyphae permeate the fungus's food source, which may be soil, leaf litter, rotten wood, dung, and so on, depending on the species (3). This species occurs throughout the year (3). During spring (2), it can be found covered in a layer of sooty black spores; these are released at night and can travel up to 2 cm away from the fruit body from which they were discharged. It is also believed by some authorities that the alder wood wasp is involved in the dispersal of spores. Timber infected by this fungus develops a white rot known as 'calico wood' (4). Range 1 This fungus is common throughout Europe, North America and Australia and also occurs in New Zealand (4). Habitat 1 King Alfred's cakes are found growing on the dead branches of deciduous trees, particularly ash, but can also occur on beech and alder (4). Associations 2 Fungus / internal feeder larva of Biphyllus lunatus feeds within fruitbody of Daldinia concentrica Foodplant / saprobe superficial stroma of Daldinia concentrica is saprobic on Acer Remarks: Other: uncertain Other: minor host/prey Foodplant / saprobe superficial stroma of Daldinia concentrica is saprobic on Alnus Remarks: Other: uncertain Other: minor host/prey Foodplant / saprobe superficial stroma of Daldinia concentrica is saprobic on Fagus Other: minor host/prey Foodplant / saprobe superficial stroma of Daldinia concentrica is saprobic on Salix Remarks: Other: uncertain Other: minor host/prey Foodplant / parasite superficial stroma of Daldinia concentrica parasitises live wood of Fraxinus Foodplant / saprobe superficial stroma of Daldinia concentrica is saprobic on wood of Sorbus Foodplant / saprobe superficial stroma of Daldinia concentrica is saprobic on wood of Ulmus Foodplant / saprobe superficial stroma of Daldinia concentrica is saprobic on wood of Populus Fungus / saprobe colony of Verticillium anamorph of Nectria inventa is saprobic on dead ascocarp of Daldinia concentrica Fungus / internal feeder larva of Platyrhinus resinosus feeds within fruitbody of Daldinia concentrica Status 1 Widespread (3). Threats 1 This fungus is not threatened. Conservation 1 Conservation action has not been targeted at this species. References 1. © Wildscreen, some rights reserved 2. © BioImages, some rights reserved