Figure 495.—Xylaria polymorpha. Natural size.
Polymorpha means many forms. It is nearly fleshy, a number usually growing together, or gregarious; thickened as if swollen, irregular; dirty-white, then black; the receptacle bearing perithecia in every part.
This plant is quite common in our woods, growing about old stumps or on decayed sticks or pieces of wood. The spore-openings can be seen with an ordinary hand-glass.
Xylaria polymorpha, var. spathularia.
Figure 496.—Xylaria polymorpha var. spathularia. Natural size.
Spathularia means in the form of a spathula or spatula. It is vertical and stipitate, the stem being more definite than in the X. polymorpha, the stroma being between fleshy and corky, frequently growing in numbers or gregarious, turgid, fairly regular, dirty-white, then brownish-red, finally black. An ordinary hand glass will show how it bears perithecia in all its parts. This will be clearly seen in the section on the right.
These plants are not as common as the X. polymorpha, but are found in habitats similar to those of the other plant, particularly around maple stumps or upon decayed maple branches.