Carbon balls has a balled-shaped cap with a crusty surface that is colored brownish-black. It looks like a ball of carbon, hence the common name "carbon ball." When the caps are crushed, a reddish-brown pigment is released. It is a beneficial fungus growing on decaying conifer and hardwood logs. Carbon balls gets its nutrients from the deadwood while also helping with decomposition.
Cap Diameter:
7 - 32 mm
Odor:
Subtle, generic mushroom smell.
In This Article
Attributes
Similar Species
Tips for Finding
Clean and Preserve
Common Questions
General Info About Carbon balls
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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
Brown
Red
Pink
Flesh Bruises
The flesh or milk does not discolor when bruised or cut.
Growth Form
Solitary, Gregarious
Nutrient Gathering
Saprophytic
Substrate
Dead Woods
You can find Carbon balls by these plants:
Occurence Habitats
Deciduous Woodland, Coniferous Woodland
Species Status
Common east of the Rocky Mountains
Endangered Species
No
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Habitat of Carbon balls
Carbon balls thrives on decaying hardwood logs and occasionally conifer logs.
