Phylum: Ascomycota Family: Xylariaceae
Kretzschmaria deusta (Hoffm.) P.M.D. Martin
Brittle Cinder
A common wood-rotter, easily overlooked as it occurs near the base of trees, often found on decaying stumps. The fungus develops in spring in the anamorphic stage as greyish crusts with white wavy-edges. In summer, the fungus turns black and brittle, this is the sexual stage
References:
Læssøe, T. & Petersen, J.H. (2019) Fungi of Temperate Europe, Volume 2