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Daldinia Concentrica - King Alfred's Cakes Fungus

King Alfred's Cakes (Daldinia Concentrica), Or Cramp Balls, Or Coal Fungus Is An Ancient Firelighting Fungus Of The Hypoxylaceae Family. This Fungus Looks Like A Hard, Roundish Lump Of Coal Stuck To Dead And Decaying Wood. The Fruit Of This Fungus Is Hemi-spherical, With A Hard, Friable, Shiny Black Fruiting Body 2 To 7 Centimeters Wide. Daldinia Concentrica Is A Useful Tinder For Starting Fires. It's Best When It's Completely Dry And Black, And Can Be Lit With Flint And Steel. It Burns Slowly, Like Charcoal, And Produces A Strong Smoke, Used In Cooking At A Campfire. In Traditional African Medicine, Daldinia Concentrica Is Used To Treat Many Diseases. In Some Regions Of Ivory Coast, It's Also Used As A Contraceptive Agent. King Alfred's Cakes (Daldinia Concentrica) Fungus Is On A Dead Tree At Tehatta, West Bengal; India On october 17, 2024.(Photo by Soumyabrata Roy/NurPhoto)

Photo ID	#11678399
Date Taken	17 October 2024
Location	N/A
Photographer	Soumyabrata Roy/NurPhoto
Category	Human Interest
Copyright	© 2026 NurPhoto - Soumyabrata Roy/NurPhoto

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