HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



Boletus and Polyporus proper. The scientific dis- 

 tinction between the two is that in the former genus 

 the hymenium of the cells is separable from one 

 another and from the hymenophorum, which is not 

 the case in the latter. Generally speaking, the poly- 

 pores have a coriaceous, corky or even woody struc- 

 ture, while that of the Boleti is soft and spongy ; but 

 there are intermediate forms : P. spiimens, for in- 

 stance, which we gathered from the dead trunk of a 



The polypores are arranged in divisions, according 

 as the stem is central, lateral, or wanting ; besides 

 these there are resupinate forms. 



Of the stemless kinds, P. versicolor met the eye 

 upon almost every other old tree-stump ; rather hand- 

 some in the young state, before the rich velvety-brown 

 tomentum of the pileus with its broad border of light 

 drab variegated with zones of the same hue has 

 faded ; the hymenium is white, and pores so small as 



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Figs. 7 and 8. — Labyrinthiform pores of 

 Dcedalea. unicolor (young state). 



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Figs. 9 and io. — Hymenium of Polyporus 

 versicolor (young state). 



Fig. ii. — Reticulated stem 

 of Boletus edulis. 



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Fig. 12. — Section showing the villose strigose 

 pileus of D&dalea unicolor, and pores torn 

 and toothed when old. 



Figs. 13 and 14. — Fistulina hepatica with pores (enlarged in 13). 



Fig. 15. — Section of Polyportts lucidus, showing the 

 tubular hymenium. 



17.— Vertical section of a Boletus, show- 

 ing the porous hymenium. 



Fig. 16. — Large angular pores of Boletus Jlavus. 



tree, is somewhat spongy. The polypores are usually 

 stemless, with lateral attachments to their matrices ; 

 the Boleti have stipes like an agaric ; but P. ru- 

 fescens, of which we found one specimen near the 

 " King's Oak," is furnished with a central stipe : it is 

 the prettiest of its tribe, the pileus is red and polished, 

 especially on the broad border ; hymenium white. 

 P. lucidus (two specimens) is also a handsome fungus ; 

 it grows laterally from the roots of old trees ; the 

 pileus is of a dark reddish-bay (not unlike old red 

 morocco), and polished ; hymenium whitish. 



to be scarcely perceptible to the naked eye. More 

 general and protean in its forms is Polyporus vulgaris, 

 a white, corky, closely adherent, resupinate species, 

 with a most repulsive and sickening odour : on trees, 

 sticks, stumps, everywhere ; frequent and also re- 

 supinate, but not adherent, P. ferruginosus : pileus 

 with hardly any substance, thin, and coriaceous ; hy- 

 menium irregular ; pores unequal ; of variable habit, 

 but usually growing laterally from old stumps. P. 

 tomentarius was also observed on old trees. 



Of Boleti we gathered specimens of six species. 



