28 WESTERN POLYPORES 



Hartig's statement that this species also causes a dry rot in 



pine and fir. 



23. ELFVINGIELLA Murrill 



Hymenophore large, epixylous, sessile, applanate or ungulate; 

 surface sulcate, horny-encrusted; context brown, punky; tubes 

 brown, cylindric, stratose, thick-walled; spores smooth, hyaline 

 or subhyaline. 



i. ELFVINGIELLA FOMENTARIA (L.) Murrill 



Pileus hard, ungulate, concave below, 7-9 X 8-10 X 3-10 cm.; 

 surface finely tomentose to glabrous, isabelline to avellaneous and 

 finally black and shining with age, zonate, sulcate, horny- 

 encrusted; margin obtuse, velvety, isabelline to fulvous; context 

 punky, ferruginous to fulvous, conidia-bearing, 3-5 mm. thick; 

 tubes indistinctly stratified, not separated by layers of context, 

 3-5 mm. long each season, avellaneous to umbrinous within, 

 mouths circular, whitish-stuffed when young, 3-4 to a mm., 

 edges obtuse, entire, grayish-white to avellaneous, turning dark 

 when bruised; spores globose, smooth, hyaline or nearly so, 

 3-4 M- 



Occasional throughout on living trunks of alder, laurel, and a 

 few other deciduous trees, causing serious decay. The punky 

 substance of the hymenophore was formerly used in tinder-boxes, 

 and is still used as an absorbent in surgery and for the manufac- 

 ture of various ornamental and useful articles. 



24. ELFVINGIA P. Karst. 



Hymenophore large, epixylous, sessile, applanate or ungulate; 

 surface sulcate, horny-encrusted; context brown, punky; tubes 

 brown, cylindric, stratose, thick-walled, mouths whitish or 

 yellowish when young; spores brown; conidia present in most 

 species on or near the surface of the pileus. 



Pileus white or gray, often becoming brown with age. 



Hymenium white or rarely slightly yellowish when young. i. E. megaloma. 



Hymenium luteous when young. 2. E. Brownii. 



Pileus brown to black; hymenium pallid when young. 3. E. tornata. 



i. ELFVINGIA MEGALOMA (L6v.) Murrill 



Pileus hard, dimidiate, applanate, 6-15 X 8-30 X 1-4 cm.; 

 surface milk-white to gray or umbrinous, glabrous, concentrically 

 sulcate, encrusted, fasciate with obscure lines, conidia-bearing, 

 usually brownish during the growing season from the covering 



