Beechmast Candlesnuff - Xylaria carpophila
Thread-like, 2 to 5 cm long and 0.5 to 1 mm in diameter, sometimes branching. Initially black near the sterile base and whitish with conidia (asexual spores) towards the tips, the whole of the fruitbody eventually blackens.
It grows only from the hard outer cases of Beech seeds, which are known as Beechmast.
All year round.
Producing ascospores in autumn and early winter, at which times the whole fruitbody turns black.
Appears to be widespread and fairly frequent in Britain.
Status in Leicestershire and Rutland not known.
Kate Nightingale
Ulverscroft
28 February 2017
AJ Cann
Ulverscroft
11 March 2017
Graham Calow
Sapcote
20 February 2017
on beechmast
Steve Mathers
Jubilee Way (Stathern to Terrace Hills)
28 February 2017
Kate Nightingale
Ulverscroft
28 February 2017
Barbara Cooper
Charnwood Lodge NNR
14 February 2019
Kate Nightingale
Rocky Plantation
28 February 2017
Leicestershire & Rutland Map
Enter a town or village to see local records
MAP KEY:
Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020
UK Map
Species profile
- Common names
- Beechmast Candlesnuff
- Species group:
- Fungi
- Kingdom:
- Fungi
- Order:
- Xylariales
- Family:
- Xylariaceae
- Records on NatureSpot:
- 22
- First record:
- 20/02/2017 (Calow, Graham)
- Last record:
- 07/03/2024 (Timms, Sue)
Total records by month
% of records within its species group
10km squares with records
The latest images and records displayed below include those awaiting verification checks so we cannot guarantee that every identification is correct. Once accepted, the record displays a green tick.
In the Latest Records section, click on the header to sort A-Z, and again to sort Z-A. Use the header boxes to filter the list.
Latest images
Latest records
Kate Nightingale
Rocky Plantation
28 February 2017
Kate Nightingale
Ulverscroft
28 February 2017
Graham Calow
Sapcote
20 February 2017
on beechmast
