It is a common, wood-rotting species in Europe, typically growing on dead attached or fallen branches of broadleaf trees.

It is currently not clear whether collections from North America (where it is called granular jelly roll)[5] and elsewhere represent the same species.

[7] Wallroth noted its similarity to Tremella nucleata, but nonetheless described Myxarium nucleatum as a new and separate species, using the same epithet.

[1] Lewis David von Schweinitz had previously described Tremella nucleata from the United States, a species that was later transferred to the genus Exidia by Burt.

Many subsequent publications, summarized by Donk (1966) and Reid (1970), discussed whether the European Myxarium nucleatum is conspecific with the American Exidia nucleata.

[2] Molecular research, based on cladistic analysis of DNA sequences, has indicated that M. nucleatum belongs in a clade separate from Exidia.

[8] Furthermore, at least three similar species of Myxarium occur in northern Europe, with a single American collection appearing distinct.

[6] Myxarium nucleatum forms scattered, pustular, gelatinous fruit bodies 2 to 20 millimetres (1⁄8 to 3⁄4 inch) in diameter.

Opaque, white, spherical, mineral inclusions are visible with the naked eye and are made of calcium oxalate.

It was originally recorded on hawthorn, but is also known from many other broadleaf trees and shrubs, including beech, ash, sycamore, and ivy.