CLAUDOPUS SUBDEPLUENS 



441 



" The method by which natural infection occurs was not 

 determined. Fruit-bodies of the Claudopus leading a saprophytic 

 existence on neighbouring twigs or soil could not be found. It is 

 not impossible, however, that these were produced earlier and 

 had already disappeared. Local infection of the sporophores of the 

 Polyporus might result either from spores produced on such sapro- 



Fig. 185. — Claudopus subdepluens Fitzpatrick (? = Leptonia parasitica 

 Quelet) growing as a parasite on Poly poms perennis. Some of 

 Claudopus fruit-bodies of Fig. 184 shown four times the natural 

 size. The lateral position of the stipe and the distant gills can be 

 clearly perceived. Found at Six Mile Gorge, near Ithaca, New York 

 State, and photographed by H. M. Fitzpatrick. 



phytic fruit-bodies or from hibernated spores produced the preceding 

 year on parasitic fruit-bodies. It seems more probable, however, 

 that the vegetative mycelium of the Claudopus spreads in the soil 

 and travels upward among the hyphae of the Polyporus during the 

 development of its sporophore. It may thus retain organic con- 

 nection with the food material in the soil and be partially or wholly 

 independent of the Polyporus in its food relationships." ^ 



From the above discussion by Fitzpatrick it will be seen that 

 it is as yet uncertain whether Claudopus subdepluens derives its 



^ H. M. Fitzpatrick, loc. cit., p. 35. 



