Bulgaria inquinans Fr.Schmutzbecherling Black Bulgar Fruit body 1–4cm across, rubbery, globose with a tightly inrolled margin when young and having a scurfy brownish exterior, later expanding then flattened, with a smooth black disc. Asci 200×9µ. Spores of two kinds; the upper four in the ascus dark brown and kidney-shaped, the lower four colour-less but similarly shaped, 11–14×6–7µ. Habitat gregarious on dead wood of deciduous trees especially oak but less commonly on beech. Season autumn. Common. Not edible. Distribution, America and Europe.
May be confused with Exidia glandulosa on first inspection but easily distinguished on closer examination by the lack of small pimples on the disc, characteristic of the latter, more irregular shape and watery gelatinous consistency. Also easily separated by taking a spore print overnight on white paper; Bulgaria has dark sooty-brown ascospores while the spores of Exidia are colourless.