POLYPOREAE OF SOUTH AFRICA. 269 



40. Polyporus ochro-porus, sp. n. 



Pileus sessile, convex above, thickest behind, 5-5 cm. by 



4 cm. by 0-5 cm. to 2-5 cm.; surface brown, soft, minutely pube- 

 scent; context 0-5 cm. to 2-3 cm., soft, tough, yellowish-brown above, 

 dark-brown and brittle below, zonate, shining; tubes 1mm. to 7 mm. 

 long, ochre yellow, brittle, rigid brown hyphae in the walls; 

 mouths angular, averaging 2 to the mm., edges thin, entire to 

 dentate, concolorous with tubes, changing to brown; spores lightly 

 coloured, subglobose to elliptical, 4/x to 5/x by 5/x to 7-5/x ; setae 

 scanty 15/x to 21/x.long by 4/x to 7/x diam. ; hyphae 4/x to 8/x. 



Distribution. — A single collection from a stump in Eastern 

 Cape Forest Conservancy was made by the writer. (Type in Natal 

 Herbarium, P. v. d. B., No. 115.) 



The plant is evidently related to P. patouillardii, but with 

 different surface, different colour of mouths, duplex context, larger 

 pore mouths and thinner setae. The rigid hyphae in the walls of 

 the tubes are less abundant than in the specimens of /'. patouil- 

 lardii. 



41. Polyporus gilvus (Schw.), Fries. 



Pileus sessile, effused reflexed to entirely resupinate, often 

 imbricate, dimidiate, 3 cm. to 11 cm. by 2 cm. to 4 cm. by 0-2 cm. 

 to 2 cm., coriaceous to firm and rigid, annual or reviving; surface 

 yellowish-brown or reddish-brown, often more or less zoned, pube- 

 scent when young, soon becoming glabrous and usually rough 

 with stiff projections; context yellowish brown, corky or woody, at 

 times distinctly zoned, 0-1 cm. to 1-5 cm. thick; tubes 1 mm. to 



5 mm. long, reddish brown ; mouths circular to angular, 6 to 7 to 

 the mm., edges entire, reddish brown or darker; setae present, 

 dark brown, 19-8/x to 26-4/x long, tapering to a point; spores 

 hyaline, smooth, ellipsoid, 3/x to 4/x by 5/x to 6/x. 



Distribution. — A common saprophyte on dead branches, 

 stumps and logs. Found at Fountains, Pretoria, Transvaal, by 

 the writer; on dead Quercus branch in Eastern Cape Forest Con- 

 servancy by J. D. Keet; on Acacia melanoxylon in the Willowdale 

 plantation, Transkei by Kunn; common around Durban, Natal, 

 by the writer; at Howick, Natal, by G. Hobbs. 



The surface of the plants varies from almost smooth to exceed- 

 ingly rough. The rough forms may be classified as P. scrupostis, 

 Fr., but this is not specifically distinct from P. gilvus, the surface 

 varying in one and the same collection from almost smooth to 

 rough. Trametes isidioides, Berk, reported from Natal and the 

 Cape is synonymous with the "scrupose" form of P. gilvus. 



42. Polyporus fniticum, Berk, and Curt. 



Pileus sessile, generally encircling twigs, 3-7 cm. diam. by 

 2 cm. thick, or larger, soft spongy, annual or reviving; surface 

 azonate, tomentose, yellowish buff to brown; context rusty-brown, 

 soft spongy, 3 cm. to 1-4 cm., with region next to tubes firmer; 

 tubes 1 mm. to 2-5 mm., rusty-brown, firm; mouths angular to 



