TAB. CCCLVIII. 



XYLOSTROMA giganteum. Tode Meek. fel.i. p. 1^6. 

 tab. 6. fig. 51. 



FUNGUS CORIACEUS QUERCINUS HiEMATODES. Eph. 



Germ. d. i. a. 4 S" 50. 

 OAK LEATHER. Ray 25. no. 27. Lightf. 1004. 



X HIS may truly be named giganteum^ from the 

 gigantic ftrides it takes through forae of our largeft 

 oaks. It appears to be compofed of minute branched 

 fibres which are lefs compadt internally, with little 

 velicular-like fubftances, fomewhat egg-fhaped, refting 

 by their broadeft bafes on the ends and other parts of 

 the branches. The narrow end feems fomewhat 

 opaque, as if it were an operculum. There is alfo 

 fcattered duffc of a brownifh call, copious among the 

 rotten remains of the wood, giving it the appearance 

 of Scotch fnufF. It fliould feem that this fungus may 

 have given rife to the ufe of Agaricus Chirurgorum^ 

 Pharmac. Edin. and Agaricus querneus^ Pharmac. Gener. 

 as Ray fays it was ufed by the country people of Ireland 

 to cure wounds ; and thus I think the true ftyptic 

 Agaric fliould be the Agaricus querneus, Limi. tab. 181. 

 and not Boletus igjtiarius, tab. 132. vv^hich 1 believe 

 never has been found growing on the oak, although 

 Boletus fomentarius, tab. 133. which nearly refembles it, 

 fometimes does. It feems the oak Agaric is moil: ftrongly 

 recommended. See Dr. Woodville"s Med. Bot., vol. 4. 

 p. 159. Agaricus quercinus neareft refembles the Oak 

 Leather in delicate fibrous texture, and may be readily 

 cut into flices and freed from impurities. The other 

 two are of a lefs delicate colour, and require more pre- 

 paration. 



I have fpecimens of part of a poplar affected with a 

 fungus fomething like the above, which penetrates 

 the tree more thoroughly, as it were taking place of 

 the wood ; but in this I have difcovered nothing like 

 frudlification. 



