Carbon balls
Daldinia childiae
A species of Daldinia.
Carbon balls are characterized by their spherical, brownish-black caps that have a rough, crust-like texture, resembling a piece of coal, which gives them their popular name. Crushing these caps releases a reddish-brown pigment. This is a saprophytic fungus, meaning it thrives on and aids in the decomposition of decaying conifer and hardwood logs, deriving its nourishment from the dead wood.
In This Article
Attributes of Carbon balls
Cap Diameter
7 - 32 mm
Height
1 - 2 cm
Cap
7 - 32 mm across; shaped like a ball, cushion, or pear; brown, nearly black; hard, smooth to pimply
Flesh
Carbon-like; blackish and whitish or grayish
Spore Print Color
Colorless to whitish
Odor
Subtle, generic mushroom smell.
Body Color
BrownRedPink
Flesh Bruises
The flesh or milk does not discolor when bruised or cut.
Growth Form
Solitary, Gregarious
Nutrient Gathering
Saprophytic
Substrate
Dead Woods
Occurence Habitats
Deciduous Woodland, Coniferous Woodland
Species Status
Common east of the Rocky Mountains
Endangered Species
No
Scientific Classification of Carbon balls
Phylum
Sac fungi
Class
Sordariomycetes
Order
Xylariales
Family
Hypoxylaceae
Genus
Daldinia
Toxicity and Edibility of Carbon balls
Is Carbon balls Toxic?
Toxicity information is not available for this mushroom. Always consult with an expert before consuming any wild mushrooms.
