candlestick fungus, the candlesnuff fungus, carbon antlers, or the stag's horn fungus

Description:

Fruit bodies (ascocarps) are cylindrical or flattened with dimensions of 3–8 centimetres (1.2–3.1 in) tall × 2–8 mm thick. The erect ascocarps are often twisted or bent, and typically sparsely branched, often in a shape resembling an antler's horns. Specimens found earlier in the season, in spring, may be covered completely in asexual spores (conidia), which manifests itself as a white to grayish powdery deposit. Later in the season, mature ascocarps are charcoal-black, and have minute pimple-like bumps called perithecia on the surface. These are minute rounded spore bearing structures with a tiny holes, or ostioles, for the release of sexual spores (ascospores). The perithecia are embedded in the flesh of the ascocarp, the stroma, which is tough, elastic, and white. Within the perithecia, the asci are 100 × 8 µm.

Habitat:

location: North America, Europe edibility: Inedible fungus colour: White to cream, Black or blackish normal size: 5-15cm cap type: Other stem type: Lateral, rudimentary or absent spore colour: White, cream or yellowish habitat: Grows on wood Xylaria hypoxylon (L. ex Hook.) Greville. Geweihförmige Holzkeule, Xilaire du bois, Szarvasagancsgomba, Stag’s Horn or Candlesnuff Fungus. Fruit body 1–7cm high, subcylindric at first becoming flattened and branched into an antler-like shape, the upper branches powdered white, finally tipped black when mature, stalk black and hairy. Asci 100 x 8um. Spores black, bean-shaped, 11–14 x 5–6um. Habitat on dead wood. Season all year. Common. Not edible. Distribution, America and Europe ( http://www.rogersmushrooms.com/gallery/D... )

Notes:

A variety of bioactive compounds have been identified in this fungus. The compounds xylarial A and B both have moderate cytotoxic activity against the human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line Hep G2. The pyrone derivative compounds named xylarone and 8,9-dehydroxylarone also have cytotoxic activity. Several cytochalasins, compounds that bind to actin in muscle tissue, have been found in the fungus. X. hypoxylon also contains a carbohydrate-binding protein, a lectin, with a unique sugar specificity, and which has potent anti-tumor effects in various tumor cell lines -- young ones, the white spores are still stick on the fungus as would they never part. As a skin!