POLYPOREAE OF SOUTH AFRICA. 275 



fading out in old specimens to an almost grey ; spores not found ; 

 according to Lloyd hyaline, smooth and about 3/a by 4/i; hyphae 

 3-7/a to 5-5/a diam. 



Distribution. — Found by the writer at Schroeders and 

 Crammond, Natal Province, on undetermined logs. 



The plant is recognisable by its purplish brown, hard, context? 

 tissue and in fresh young specimens by the whole plant being 

 smoky black, a colour unusual amongst Fomes. In regions of one 

 collection there was context tissue between the successive pore 

 strata. 



The context colour in South African collections is somewhat 

 lighter than type material. Fomes comu-bovis described by Cooke 

 from India is the same plant- and he records it as forming large 

 masses, such as the writer has observed. 



5. Fomes conchatus (Pers), Gill. 



Pileus perennial, woody, thin, effused reflexed, dimidiate to 

 conchate, and at times entirely resupinate, 3-5 cm. to 10 cm. by 

 3 cm. to 8 cm. by 0-2 cm. to 1-3 cm.; surface yellowish to greyish 

 brown becoming almost black with age, zoned or concentrically 

 sulcate and when young tomentose, becoming glabrous with age; 

 context yellowish-brown to dark-brown, 1 mm. to 5 mm. thick, 

 woody; tubes indistinctly stratified, 1 mm. to 3 mm. long each 

 season, concolorous; mouths subrotund 5 to 7 to the mm.; edges 

 entire, yellowish-brown to dark brown; setae abundant, dark 

 brown, 14/x to 28/x by 7ju, ; spores hyaline, globose, 4/x to 6/x; hyphae 

 2/x to 3-5jul diam. 



Distribution. — Recorded by T. R. Sim on Melia azedarach at 

 Pietermaritzburg, Natal; at Howick, Natal, by Geo. Hobbs ; bv 

 J. B. Leslie and the writer around Durban; mostly on dead 

 trunks and logs. 



6. Fomes robustus, Karsten. 



Pileus woody, perennial, sessile, ungulate (in maldeveloped 

 forms, resupinate) ; surface hard, brown becoming black and 

 rimose ; context woody 1 mm. to 3 mm. thick, bright yellowish- 

 brown; tubes 1 mm. to 2-5 mm. long each season, concolorous with 

 context, becoming stuffed in older layers; mouths subrotund 5 to 

 6 to the mm. ; edges thin, entire, yellowish-brown ; spores globose, 

 hyaline, 7/x to 7-5/x diam.; setae few, dark brown, 21/x to 28/x long, 

 tapering to the point; hyphae 4/u,. 



Distribution. — Recorded by J. D. Keet in Eastern Cape Forest 

 Conservancy on Olea laurifolia and Xymalos monospora (dead) ; 

 K. A. Lansdell at Bulwer, Natal. 



7. Fomes robinsoniae (Murrill), Lloyd. 



Pileus perennial, woody, dimidiate, applanate, slightly decur- 

 rent behind, 10 cm. by 7 cm. by 1 cm. to 3 cm.; surface hard, 

 yellowish-brown, sulcate, becoming dark coloured, often tuber- 

 culate and rough; context yellowish brown 1 mm. to 5 mm. thick, 

 woody; tubes indistinctly stratified, 1 mm. to 3 mm. long each 



