MURRILL : POLYPORACEAE OF NORTM AMERICA 300 



However, your experience I shall certainly hold above my ignor- 

 ance." 



During a recent trip through the southwestern part of Virginia, 

 I found this fungus very common on stumps and decaying trunks 

 of oak. In every case the fruit-bodies of previous years were dead, 

 with the later growths below. I have specimens taken from a 

 white oak trunk on which I saw the first fruit-bodies two years 

 ago and some of these have three layers, some two and some one, 

 only the last year's growth in each case being alive. This corrob- 

 orates James' testimony to his belief that the fruit-bodies are 

 annual. During the same trip, I collected a few specimens of E. 

 mcgalonia on its usual hosts and noted with interest that the two 

 species are as distinct in Virginia as they are farther north. Facts 

 thus far collected indicate that E. roiiforinis is a southern form 

 and confined to a much more restricted area than E. mcgalomn, 

 while within this area it is often abundant and quite destructive to 

 the oak, its favorite host. 



4. Elfvingia megaloma (Lev.) 



Polyporus megaloma Lev. Ann. Sc. Nat. Bot. III. 5: 128. 

 1846. 



Polyporus leiicophaciis Mont. Syll. Crypt. 157. 1856. 



Fomes megaloma CooVe, Grevillea, 14: 18. 1885. 



Gajiodervia leucophaenm Pat. Bull. Soc. Myc. 5: 73. 1889. 



Specimens have been examined from New York (Shear, Mur- 

 rill), Canada (Anderson), Pennsylvania (Ellis), Virginia (Miss V. 

 W. Murrill, Murrill), and nearly all the other states west to Cali- 

 fornia and south to Georgia. The plant occurs abundantly on 

 dead or dying wood of oak, sweet gum, poplar and other decid- 

 uous trees. In the popular mind it is associated with etching 

 because its hymenium changes to a darker color when bruised. 

 Owing to the close resemblance to P. apphmatus Pers. in habit 

 and appearance, it has been generally known under that name 

 among American mycologists. The correct name for it, however, 

 appears to be that assigned to it by Leveille in 1846 on receiving 

 specimens collected by Menand in New York. In connection 

 with his description, he notes that it is near P. applaiiattis in form, 

 consistency and volume, but differs essentially in the color of the 



