Basidiocarps (fruit bodies) are gelatinous, pale violaceous grey to grey-brown, button-shaped at first then coalescing and becoming irregularly effused.

It grows on dead branches of broadleaved trees and is known from north-western North America.

[1] The basidiocarps of E. zelleri are gelatinous, button-shaped to top-shaped and attached to the wood at a point, sometimes coalescing to form effused, irregular masses up to 8 cm across.

Exidia zelleri was originally described from Oregon and has also been recorded from California and British Columbia.

It was originally collected on dead wood of Sambucus, but has subsequently been reported on other broadleaved trees.