94 Polyporoid Fungi. [zoe. 



Through Strobilomyces, whose habit, combined with structural 

 characters, is perhaps sufficient to keep it distinct, Polyporus passes 

 to Boletus, and from Boletus there is a gradual connection through. 

 Boletinus, which stands on uncertain footing, to Paxillus, another 

 genus of Agarics. Through Merulius with fold-like pores still an- 

 other passage is made to the Agarics in the direction of Cantharel- 

 lus. Sufficient has been said lo verify the assertion of Fries, that 

 the family is intermediate between the Agarics and the Hydnei. 



A few conclusions maybe drawn from the preliminary survey: 



1. Among the Polyporei at least, Goethe's statement that species, 

 are simply creations of the text-books, finds abundant illustration 

 and warrant. 



2. Generic and family limits are also exceedingly vague. Many 

 of the genera are simply form-genera, and there is an amazing 

 variety of connecting forms. 



3. Several of the genera of Polyporei, as commonly accepted, 

 have no rational basis on which to stand. From the genus Poly- 

 porus thirty genera could easily be formed with as vglid reason as 

 several that now exist. When characters are so poorly defined it 

 seems a more rational proceeding to leave forms in few large genera 

 than to establish new genera on characters that would ordinarily be 

 regarded as merely specific. In regard to some of these genera we 

 will specify changes: 



(a) Trametes, with " trama descending between the pores," 

 hangs on an exceedingly slender thread and had better be reunited 

 with Polyporous. Though an error, it is perhaps significant that 

 Saccardo describes Polyporics cinnahariyius under both Polyporus 

 and Trametes\ 



(b) Glceoporus, with "gelatinous hymenium," has no more rea- 

 son to be separated from Polyporous than P. lucidiis has to be 

 erected into a genus because it has a varnished skin'. It had best 

 be returned to its original fold unless the South American forms 

 reveal something more unlike Polyporus than has yet been discov- 

 ered in the United States. 



(c) Favolus, with " large angular pores," cannot stand as a ^o.- 

 \\\x%\{ Polyporus squamosus, P. lentus, P. arcularius, and their allies,. 



' Sylloge Fungorum, vi, 245, 353. 

 ^ Cf. Karsten loc. at. 



