246 



A CONTRIBUTION TO OUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE 

 POLYPOREAE OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



BY 



Paul A. van der Bijl, M.A., D.Sc, F.L.S., 

 Professor of Mycology, University of Stellenb&sch. 



Read July 17, 1920. 



Contents. 



Page. 



Introduction ^46 



General Account 247 



Economic Importance 250 



Key to the Genera 250 



Key to the Species and Descriptions — 



Polyporus 251 



Fomes ... 272 



Trametes 279 



Daedalia 286 



Lenzites 287 



Hexagona 289 



Favolus 291 



Laschia 292 



Introduction. 



For some time the writer has been giving special attention 

 to the Polyporeae or Pore-fungi occurring in the Union of South 

 Africa. This group of fungi is of especial economic importance to 

 foresters since a number of them are known to cause serious timber 

 rots. Unfortunately the earlier collections by Wahlenberg, Baur, 

 Tyson, Wood," Macowan and others are not preserved in any insti- 

 tution in South Africa. Some of them have probably been entirely 

 lost, whereas others are preserved in foreign institutions. The 

 Polyporeae are generally recognised as the most difficult of the 

 fungi to name and identify satisfactorily, and even with descrip- 

 tions the comparison with type specimens is essential. There being 

 at the time no comprehensive collection of correctly named speci- 

 mens in any of the South African institutions, the writer soon 

 realised the necessity of co-operation with someone who has had 

 an opportunity of studying these fungi from collections preserved 

 in other countries. In this he was fortunate in obtaining the co- 

 operation of Mr. C. G. Lloyd, and it is mainly through his kind 

 and willing assistance in identifying specimens that the work was 

 made possible. I am also much inde'bted to Mr. C. G. Lloyd for 

 criticisms contained both in his mycological publications and in 

 personal letters to me. 



