234 THE ESSEX NATURALIST
After a time beech stumps develop a rich flora of wood-
rotting fungi such as Trametes gibbosa, and more rarely
T. mollis, Stereum hirsutum and S. purpureum,, Polyporus
adustus, Polystictus versicolor, Merulius tremellosus and
such agarics as Panus stypticus, Crepidotus mollis and
Schizophyllum commune. Stromatal Pyrenomycetes are
often represented by Xylaria hypoxylon (the Candle-Snuff
Fungus) and the large black irregular clubs of X. poly-
morpha. Incidentally, we may notice that one other
species of Xylaria, X. carpophila, is fairly common in
beechwoods, the stroma invariably arising from old beech-
mast cases in the leaf litter. As stumps become still more
rotten, other agarics such as Hypholoma fasiculare, H.
hydrophilum and Coprinus micaceus make their appearance.
The only Clavaria occurring on beech, or, indeed, on any
wood, is Clavaria stricta (Plate 9). It is dull yellow and
much branched, with the ultimate ramuli very vertical and
thus very parallel to one another. On very rotten old
stumps in the last stages of decay, troops of Lycoperdon
pyriforme (Plate 10) are often to be seen. This is the only
puff-ball that grows on wood.
Some of the species growing on beech stumps and fallen
trunks are rarely found on other trees. To this group belong
such fungi as Armillaria mucida, Pholiota adiposa, Trametes
mollis, Polyporus adustus and Xylaria polymorpha. Other
fungi, though very common on beech, are equally at home
on other stumps, e.g., Hypholoma fasiculare, the Sulphur
Tuft, Polystictus versicolor, Stereum hirsutum and Xylaria
hypoxylon. Other fungi are only occasionally to be found
on beech, and occur much more commonly on other trees.
Examples are Hirneola auricula-judae, which is typical of
elder, and Daldinia concentrica, which is almost limited to
ash.
I have sketched in a very general manner the ecology of
fungi on beech stumps and fallen trunks, but there is little
exact information. It would be interesting to know if
there is a definite ecological succession and, if so, what are
the determining factors.
There is no doubt that the bracket polypores, e.g.,
Trametes gibbosa and Polyporus adustus, and also the