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Pony near Hampton Ridge
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Candle-snuff Fungus (Xylaria hypoxylon)

Candle-snuff Fungus
Candle-snuff Fungus

Examples of Candle-snuff Fungus can be seen all-the-year-round decorating tree stumps and other dead wood - usually that of broad-leaved trees but occasionally conifers, too. It is common and widespread in the New Forest and also in much of Britain.

Also known as Stag's Horn - the erect, club-shaped body takes on flattened, antler-like shapes - its upper branches are initially white but eventually become tipped with black. The lower stalk is black and a little hairy, whilst the mid-section is grey.

A relatively tiny yet distinctive fungus that rarely achieves a height of more than 6 centimetres, the Candle-snuff Fungus can be seen growing in small clumps and also frequently in larger groups.

This stout, rubbery fungus is inedible. Its resemblance to a snuffed candle wick is perhaps fanciful.

 

Warning: refer to a good, comprehensive fungus field guide to confirm identification, and only eat those species known without any doubt whatsoever to be edible - people have died after eating certain poisonous specimens.

 

References:
Mushrooms and other Fungi of Great Britain and Europe - Roger Phillips
The Mushrooms and Toadstools of Britain and North-western Europe - Marcel Bon
Fungi of Britain and Europe - Stefan Buczacki and John Wilkinson
The MacDonald Encyclopedia of Mushrooms and Toadstools - Giovanni Pacioni
Fungi of the New Forest: A Mycota - Edited by Gordon Dickson and Ann Leonard
A Passion for Mushrooms - Antonio Carluccio

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** New Forest ponies and other animals**
The New Forest
Commoners' ponies, cattle, pigs, sheep and donkeys are a popular part of the New Forest scene, but during 2019 agisters attended 159 road traffic accidents involving these animals, a small but disappointing increase on the 154 accidents attended in 2018.

Sadly, 58 animals were killed - 35 ponies, 13 cows, 8 donkeys and 2 sheep, whilst a further 32 were injured - 3 pigs, 9 donkeys, 11 cows and 9 ponies.

(Forty-three accidents occurred in daylight, 15 at twilight and 101 in the dark. Twenty-seven accidents were not reported by the driver involved).

Here's just one horrific example - Three donkeys killed in collision with van at notorious New Forest blackspot (Advertiser and Times)
** Always take care when driving **
Content produced by Andrew Walmsley
Content produced by Andrew Walmsley