Red-cushion Hypoxylon

Description:

These are saprophytic fungi growing on dead beech branches, collected on forest floor. The fruitbodies are small and round, not exceeding 5mm in diameter (for size, see pic N°6). When found, most of them were brick red or rusty-brown, turning blackish later on. All of them had some bumps or "pimples" on surface, which appear to be the perithecia openings. Perithecia are localised just under the surface (pic N° 4 and 5), while the interior flesh is hard and black - pics N° 4 and 5 present a freshly made cut.

Habitat:

Found on dead braches laying on forest floor, lowland mainly oak (and some beech) forest; Geneva lake valley.