Serpula (fungus) cover the surface they are growing on (known as the substrate). The hymenophore, or spore-forming surface, generally has a wrinkled appearance. The species grow on, and digest, mainly coniferous wood, causing a process known as brown rot. One species, dry rot ("S. lacrymans"), is a highly destructive agent of houses. Damp structural timber is an ideal substrate for the germination of "Serpula" spores. The fungal hyphae penetrate the wood and release enzymes that break down structural polysaccharides such as cellulose. There may be no external indications that the fungus is present until the rot is far advanced and fruit bodies
Affliction (1997 film) Affliction (1997 film) Affliction is a 1997 American drama film written and directed by Paul Schrader, adapted from the 1989 novel of the same name by Russell Banks. It stars Nick Nolte, Sissy Spacek, James Coburn and Willem Dafoe. "Affliction" tells the story of Wade Whitehouse, a small-town policeman in New Hampshire. Detached from the people around him, including a dominating father and a divorced wife, he becomes obsessed with the solving of a fatal hunting accident, leading to a series of tragic events. The film begins with a voice-over narration by Rolfe Whitehouse, announcing the story of his brother