Polyporaceas 



adpressed, spot-like, centrifugal, darker scales, fleshy-pliant, fan-shaped, Poiypoms. 

 flattened. Stem excentric and lateral, obese, reticulated at the apex, 

 blackish at the base. Pores thin, variable (at first minute), then large, 

 angular and torn, pallid. Fries. 



Handsome, commonly very large, somewhat central and umbilicate 

 when young, at length lateral, very variable in shape. 



On trunks and stumps, chiefly ash. Common. May to November. 

 Stevenson. 



Spores oval, white, 14x6^ W.G.S.; elliptical, colorless, I2x5/x. 

 Massee. 



Massachusetts, Sprague; Iowa, Macbride; New York. Trunk of elm. 

 May. Peck, 2/th Rep. ; West Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania. 

 On fallen trunks and on stumps. May to November. Mcllvaine. 



This species does not seem to be common in America, but is found 

 throughout Europe. It varies in size from 3 in. to over 3 feet. It 

 has been known to attain the circumference of 7 ft. 5 in., and the weight 

 of 40 Ibs. Dr. Badham says that it can not be masticated and that its 

 expressed juice is very disagreeable. The fact, however, remains that 

 it is eaten, and is recorded as edible by most authors. It is undoubt- 

 edly tough, but cut fine and stewed slowly for half an hour it is quite as 

 tender as the muscle of an oyster and has a pleasant flavor. 



P. pi'cipes Fr. pix, pitch ; pes, a foot. Pallid then chestnut, com- 

 monly pale yellowish-livid, with the disk chestnut. PileilS fleshy- 

 coriaceous, then rigid, tough, even, smooth, depressed at the disk or 

 behind. Flesh white. Stem excentric and lateral, equal, firm, at first 

 velvety, then naked, dotted, black up to the pores. Pores decurrent, 

 round, very small, rather slender, white, then slightly pale yellowish. 

 Fries. 



Imbricated, odor somewhat sweet. The pileus is depressed behind, 

 commonly emarginate, funnel-shaped with lobes all round. 



On trunks, especially willow. Frequent. July to December. Steven- 

 son. 



Many young plants, in tufts upon a decaying oak log, were found by 

 me at Mt. Gretna, August, 1899. They were oyster-color, the very 

 thin caps translucent, 2-6 in. across, ^ in. thick; pores not visible to 

 the naked eye. The black dots upon the stems developed some time 

 after gathering. 



31 481 



