Fungi ID please

[BILLy]

Hi all
Please can you help with this, it was found on a dead snapped limb, on the floor of a beech wood today. Lolling up at the tree there is still some on it, and the branch I found it on has two tennis ball size ones left on it.
Is it the stuff called huff fungus?

This is the tree it came off
Cheers all
Bill

 

[Adze]

Looks like a cramp ball to me. Is it very lightweight and does it take a spark readily?

 

[The Big Lebowski]

The limb looks like fallen ash, and is the common habitat of Cramp Balls, Daldinia concentrica.

One of the most commonly used natural tinders, takes a spark form flint and steel (or ferro rods) and burns fairly slowly... Excellent as an ember extender for bowdrill, or transporting an ember from one area to another.

 

[craeg]

Cramp ball or King Alfreds Cakes. Cracking material for taking a spark

 

[BILLy]

Looks like a cramp ball to me. Is it very lightweight and does it take a spark readily?

Yeah it is very light, it also has a very dark black hard shell,
How if anything do I prepare it for ember?
Cheers
Bill

 

[Toddy]

diocentrica

Lucky man, hope you mind where you found those, because chances are there'll be more in time

Basically just dry it out a bit. Often it'll take a spark straight off the tree, but it's better dried out I find. Slice it up, or break it apart and just use a piece of it at a time

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Nonsuch]

Careful it burns really hot!

 

[BILLy]

Thanks all for your replies, for all of you who have replied up to now and would like a piece free of charge, send me your address in a pm and I will cut one up and share it out, not sure how much there would be but it's quite a big pieces growing, if you want any,
Cheers again
Bill

 

[Adze]

Thanks for the offer Bill, very kind of you. I collected a few of these last year so I'm all stocked up thanks. More for the rest if they want/need it

Cheers,

Adam.

 

[Geoff Dann]

"Cramp Ball" is a curious name. "King Alfred's Cake" was the commonly-used English name in most parts; "Cramp Ball" came from the Kent/Sussex borders, where the locals believed that carrying one around prevented you from getting cramp!