King Alfred Cakes
- Thread starter carabao
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It can and does grow on trees that are still living - but it does not bode well for the long term health of the tree
Daldinia concentrica (King Alf's Cakes) is a saporophyte.
As such it colonises dead or decaying timber. This dead or decaying timber may well still be attached to a living tree but it has no bearing on the long term health of that tree (Sorry Red).
It does, of course, demonstrate the presence of significant deadwood which can be an indicator of more serious transport issues within the tree system which can be the result of numerous causes.
If the tree is within influencing distance of the public highway it would certainly be useful to report the issue to the local authority irrespective of the ownership of the tree.
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As such it colonises dead or decaying timber. This dead or decaying timber may well still be attached to a living tree but it has no bearing on the long term health of that tree (Sorry Red).
It does, of course, demonstrate the presence of significant deadwood which can be an indicator of more serious transport issues within the tree system which can be the result of numerous causes.
If the tree is within influencing distance of the public highway it would certainly be useful to report the issue to the local authority irrespective of the ownership of the tree.
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More accurate than me stuey 
I know I have seen it on living trees - didn't realise it was on a dead branch or whatnot! Good info thanks
I know I have seen it on living trees - didn't realise it was on a dead branch or whatnot! Good info thanks
No probs plenty more where that came from but it gets fairly involved and dull 
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plenty more where that came from but it gets fairly involved and dull Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk
No probs
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Hmm.. How well do you know the life cycle?
I understand the lifecycle in basic terms only I'm sorry.
Sapwood exposed colonisation strategy spread at night by airborne spores. Enters through cracks, splits that expose the sapwood. Probably endophytic (lives in host without causing disease or issue).
Prefers to colonise dead / decaying tissue. (Saporophytic). Does not have wherewithal to attack barriers protecting living wood.
Needs moisture to germinate, fungal body acts as a source of this moisture.
If you wanted any more detail I would have to talk to my colleague at work who is a mycologist... He appears to speak a different language for the most part though!
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Sapwood exposed colonisation strategy spread at night by airborne spores. Enters through cracks, splits that expose the sapwood. Probably endophytic (lives in host without causing disease or issue).
Prefers to colonise dead / decaying tissue. (Saporophytic). Does not have wherewithal to attack barriers protecting living wood.
Needs moisture to germinate, fungal body acts as a source of this moisture.
If you wanted any more detail I would have to talk to my colleague at work who is a mycologist... He appears to speak a different language for the most part though!
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Thanks for the reply stuey!
My main interest was the concentric rings. Would they be anual, or bi-anual (or even possibly just from the right conditions, several times a year)
I'm just really interested in the growth rate, and information is very limited.
Would your friend possibly know? Appreciated, al.
My main interest was the concentric rings. Would they be anual, or bi-anual (or even possibly just from the right conditions, several times a year)
I'm just really interested in the growth rate, and information is very limited.
Would your friend possibly know? Appreciated, al.
Hi Al,
I have no idea if the rings are annual. I will ask Justin and hope for a straightforward answer!!!
Will get back to you once I know
Stu
I have no idea if the rings are annual. I will ask Justin and hope for a straightforward answer!!!
Will get back to you once I know
Stu
Hi Al,
From Justin regarding the concentric rings in Daldinia :
No correlation to age, just to periods of wet weather which stimulate biomass production in the fruitbody.
Hope that helps,
Stu
From Justin regarding the concentric rings in Daldinia :
No correlation to age, just to periods of wet weather which stimulate biomass production in the fruitbody.
Hope that helps,
Stu
