The usual Xylaria has a white, sterile, central portion known as the stroma, bearing a carbonous crust.
The walls of the perithecia are carbonous, and confluent with the crust.
The stem is slender and carbonous and bears the carbonous fruit bodies, superficial, but sessile and globose.
The perithecia are generally imbedded in the outer portion of the stroma, the mouths opening through the carbonous crust.
