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crumbles to a powder so easily that it is hard to believe
that it is actually alive. Earlier in the year when growing
it is moist and more convincingly alive.
The fungus has two English names; "King Alfred Cakes" and
"Cramp Balls". The latter name refers to the "old wives
tale" that the fungus could cure cramps and agues. (2).
In 1980 a French patent was taken out by J.E. Sourrouille
who claimed that "D. concentrica spores or protein from
their germination are immunostimulants and are used to
treat wounds or surgical incisions and are antibiotics
against yeasts." (3).
When used to dust wounds without any other aseptic treat-
ment, no inflammation was observed and the scar had formed
completely in 2 days. He believed that the medicament was
especially useful in aesthetic surgery. When the fungus
spores are germinating e.g. in 5% glucose solution, they
secrete a protein which he claims to be the active
constituent Only 1g of spores are produced from
300-400g of D. concentrica carpophores He points out that
the tiny eggs, 0.5mm longof an unnamed insect are also found
amongst the spores and should be removed.
Most patents come to nothing. Whether M. Sourrouille's
claim will eventuall benefit mankind is anyone's guess
at the moment.
I have found 2 insects feeding on the fungus. Maybe one
is the insect to which he refers. One is a beetle, the
other a small moth. The beetle is Biphyllus lunatus
which is a small local brown species about 3mm long, with
a white mark across the middle of its elytra, which is
unique amongst British beetles, thus making it easily
identified. I have found it on Daldinia concentrica in
the Brentwood area (TQ 627927) (4)
The moth is called Apomyllois bistriatella neophanes
(Durrant) and has only once been recorded from Essex. (5).