Summary: Features include 1) depressed-spherical to hemispheric, hard fruiting bodies growing on hardwood, 2) surface that is "blackened and asperulate or varnished in age", 3) interior with alternating color zones, and 4) spores that are large, elliptic, and generally regular (compared with those of Daldinia grandis). (Stadler et al. 2004).
Microscopic: spores 15-19(21) x 7-9(10) microns, elliptic, "slightly inequilateral to equilateral with broadly or, less frequently, narrowly rounded ends, frequently reminiscent of a Rugby ball", unicellular, dark brown, with straight germ slit spore-length on more convex side, perispore indehiscent in 10% KOH, epispore smooth; asci fragmentary, 90-110 x 12-14 microns, with apical ring turning blue in Melzer''s reagent, discoid, 4-4.5 x 0.75-1 microns
Notes: Daldinia loculatoides is found in BC and the United Kingdom, (Stadler).
Habitat and Range
SIMILAR SPECIES
Daldinia loculata has smaller spores, (Stadler). Daldinia grandis from America has spores that are more irregular in shape, (Stadler).
Habitat
on living Acer (maple) in BC, July; in United Kingdom on exposed trunk of old Fagus (beech) on burnt wood of hollow trunk and on unburned parts, August