246 University of California Puhlications in Botany [Vol. 6 



Ceriomyces crassus, Form B 



Plate 22, figure 11 



The form referred to above as C. crass us Form B has been coUocted 

 but once. The following description is based upon three mature or 

 possibly slightly over-mature specimens collected in ]\luir AYoods, iMarin 

 County, under madrone (Arbutus Menziesii) and Douglas fir {Pseudo- 

 tsuga taxifolia). These plants are now filed in the herbarium of the 

 University of California under No. 37. 



The plants referred to as Form B are bro^^■n in color, almost 

 indistinguishable from the dead madrone leaves among which they 

 grow. The pileus is 12 to 14 cm. in diameter and quite thick and 

 fleshy. The context is white, unchanging. The tubes are brown, with 

 small (1-3 to a mm.) circular mouths. The spores are smooth, brown, 

 9 to 10 by 3.5 to 4.5^. The stipe is 8 to 10 cm. in length, tapering 

 tow^ard the base. The upper part of the stipe is 4 to 5 cm. in diameter, 

 while near the base it is 2 to 3 cm. in diameter. The upper part of 

 the stipe is dark yellow-brown in color and reticulate, while the lower 

 half is smooth and almost black. The context of the stipe is white, 

 unchanging. 



Form B differs from the plants referred to Form A in several 

 respects. The surface of the pileus is brown, while in the case of 

 Form A the surface is reddish. The pores are somewhat larger 

 in diameter in these plants. The upper part of the stipe is reticulate 

 and dark brown in color while the lower half of the stipe is smooth 

 and almost black. In Form A the stipe is even or the lower part is 

 slightly enlarged, but in Form B the stipe tapers toward the base. 



Histology 



The pileus is covered with long hairs 4 to 7/x in diameter and 

 160 to 220/x in length. Beneath the hairs we find a layer some 60/a in 

 thickness consisting of hyphae 2 to 4/a in diameter densely felted 

 together and surrounded by a jelly. The entire rind is yellow in 

 color as seen under the microscope. It is very difficult to be certain 

 of the structure since the material of these plants is very poor for 

 microscopic study. However, so far as one can determine from this 

 material, the surface layers appear to disintegrate after maturity is 

 reached, since, in most cases, the surface is merely covered with a 

 layer of nearly colorless jelly containing fragments of hyphae, spores, 



