Coal Fungus

Daldinia concentrica has several common names including King Alfred's cakes (because they resemble burnt cakes), cramp balls (carrying them was supposed to ward off cramp) and coal fungus (because they can be used as a tinder to start fire). I might try to make a spore print from one of these. Unlike most fungi, which deposit spores beneath the fertile surface, the spore bearing structures of daldinia concentrica are on the outer surface and spores are ejected outwards. 

Yesterday's mystery is finally solved it was an accumulation issue. I left the wood blewits for 36 hours and they produced a mass of spores which when seen in volume is clearly a creamy pink colour. Unfortunately the volume of spores required means that the spore print is less interesting as the gill pattern is no longer visible.