300 MurriLL: PoLtypoRACEAE OF NortTH AMERICA 
However, your experience I shall certainly hold above my ignor- 
ance.”’ 
During a recent trip through the southwestern part of Virginia, 
I found this fungus very common on stumps and decaying trunks 
of oak. In every case the fruit-bodies of previous years were dead, 
with the later growths below. I have specimens taken from a 
white oak trunk on which I saw the first fruit-bodies two years 
ago and some of these have three layers, some two and some one, 
only the last year’s growth in each case being alive. This corrob- 
orates James’ testimony to his belief that the fruit-bodies are 
annual. During the same trip, I collected a few specimens of Z. 
megaloma on its usual hosts and noted with interest that the two 
species are as distinct in Virginia as they are farther north. Facts 
thus far collected indicate that 4. reniformis is a southern form 
and confined to a much more restricted area than 4. mega/oma, 
while within this area it is often abundant and quite destructive to 
the oak, its favorite host. 
_ 4. Elfvingia megaloma (Lév.) 
Polyporus megaloma Lévy. Ann. Sc. Nat. Bot. III. 5: 128. 
1846. 
Polyporus leucophaeus Mont. Syll. Crypt. 157. 1856. 
fomes megaloma Cooke, Grevillea, 14: 18. 1885. 
Ganoderma leucophaeum Pat. Bull. Soc. Myc. 5: 73. 1889. 
Specimens have been examined from New York (Shear, Mur- 
rill), Canada (Anderson), Pennsylvania (Ellis), Virginia (Miss V. 
W. Murrill, Murrill), and nearly all the other states west to Cali- 
fornia and south to Georgia. The plant occurs abundantly on 
dead or dying wood of oak, sweet gum, poplar and other decid- 
uous trees. In the popular mind it is associated with etching 
because its hymenium changes to a darker color when bruised. 
Owing to the close resemblance to P. applanatus Pers. in habit 
and appearance, it has been generally known under that name 
among American mycologists. The correct name for it, however, 
appears to be that assigned to it by Léveillé in 1846 on receiving 
specimens collected by Ménand in New York. In connection 
with his description, he notes that it is near P. applanatus in form, 
consistency and volume, but differs essentially in the color of the 
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