142 EPPING FOREST
every dead stump. The irregular-shaped pileus is
attached along the black edge, whilst the upper surface
is olive and hairy, with a golden-yellow edge. The
under surface is smooth, without gills or pores, and
golden yellow.
Stereum purpureum. Similar to the last but smaller, and
the under surface of some tint of purple, instead of
yellow.
Tremella foliacea. Soft and jelly-like masses, as large as a
walnut, or small apple, of a brownish colour, on rotten
trunks. Substance yielding to the touch, contorted and
twisted, shaking like jelly when removed. Lower
Forest, Fairmead, Theydon Bois.
Exidia glandulosa. Smaller and black, with scattered
spiny projections. Firmer in substance, and found
growing on fallen oak branches. Loughton side.
Phallus impudicus. The Stinkhorn, well known from its
strong odour and singular erect form, will be detected
in all parts of the Forest by the smell, even if it should
not be seen.
Hundreds of other kinds of fungi are to be found in
different parts of the Forest, which it would be impossible
to include in a book of this size. Coloured figures of
many hundreds of them may be seen in the Forest
museum.
There are, besides those enumerated, hundreds of
species of fungi to be found in the Forest district,
which are only of interest to those who study the
subject specially, the majority being only just visible to
the naked eye. Of these the most important are the
rusts, smuts, and mildews, parasitic on growing plants,1
more or less destructive to vegetation, and injurious to
forest trees.
In addition are the minute species which flourish on
dead vegetation, decaying leaves, fallen twigs and
branches, old stems, and prostrate trunks. All these
are constantly at work, destroying the vestiges of an
old vegetation, and preparing a vegetable humus, for
the growth of a new generation.
The pretty cups of Peziza aurantia, from an inch to
two or three inches in diameter, may often be seen
growing in company on the damp ground. These may
be taken as the type of about sixty species recorded for
the Forest,2 some of them so minute as only to be just
visible to the naked eye.
To these might be added fully sixty species of minute
moulds, which have been but little sought after, and
might probably soon exhibit a list of double that
number, all of which require the use of the microscope.
Those who are interested in those extraordinary
organisms called Myxogasters, which in one stage of
their existence resemble animals, and in another seem
to be plants, would find a good field for their researches
in the Forest, which, according to Mr. Lister, is a
happy hunting-ground.
1 A list of some sixty-eight Forest species was given in the Essex
Naturalist of September 1887. 2 Essex Naturalist for 1888.