POLY.POREAE OF SOUTH AFRICA. 277 



mined host by A. Hall (Herb. Div Bot., Pretoria, No. 9751); from 

 Karkloof, Natal, by E. Piatt; also from Pondoland ; Howick, 

 Natal, by G. Hobbs. 



Forties badius, Berk, is considered as a smooth form of 

 F. rimosus with lighter surface and larger pores than is typical for 

 the latter, but it is not sufficiently distinct from it. 



The fungus differs from Forties robustus in its coloured spores 

 and absence of setae and from Fames yucatanensis, which it 

 resembles externally, in the absence of setae. 



It is one of the most serious forest fungi in South Africa, 

 causing a "heart-rot" in the trees attacked. In the "Transactions 

 Royal Society of South Africa," Vol. VI, p. 215, the "heart-rot^' 

 of "Sneeze-wood" (Ptaeroxylon utile) caused by this fungus is 

 described. 



10. Fames McGregori, Bres. 



Pileus subresupinate, woody, 2 cm. to 4 cm. thick; surface 

 closely concentrically sulcate, brown and velvety becoming black 

 and rough with age, context woody, dark-brown; tubes in distinct 

 strata 1 mm. to 4 mm. long each season, deep-brown becoming 

 filled with hyphae and lighter in colour; mouths subrotund to 

 somewhat angular, 4 to 6 to the mm.; edges entire, dark-brown; 

 spores subglobose to ellipetical, lighter brown, 3-7/x diam. to 3-7/x. 

 to 5-5/ui ; setae none. 



Distribution.— Recorded by J. D. Keet in Eastern Cape Con- 

 servancy, on Rhus laevigata, Scolopia mundii, and Trichocladus sp. 



In colour of context this is close to F. pecfinatus from which 

 it differs in its subresupinate habit; from E. rimosus it differs in 

 its habit, darker context colour and colour of spores which are 

 smaller and elliptical. The tubes are also shorter and the whole 

 sporophore more closely grained. I doubt if Forties caryophylli, 

 Rac. is really different from above. The spores in the latter are 

 •given as globose and in the former as elliptical, but in specimens 

 examined by me they varied from globose to elliptical, and for this 

 reason they are referred as above. 



11. Forties senex. (Nees & Mont) Cke. 



Pileus large, woody, perennial, sessile, applanate, broadly 

 attached and decurrent behind; 5 cm. to 35 cm. by 3 cm. to 20 cm. 

 by 0-3 cm. to 3 cm. surface closely concentrically sulcate with small 

 raised ridges, at times tuberculate and rough, brown, hard, velvety 

 tomentose, becoming glabrous and lighter with age; context scanty, 

 2 mm. thick, dai'k-brown, woody, tubes indistinctly stratified, 

 1 mm. to 1-5 mm. long each season, concolorous with or lighter 

 than context; mouths minute, circular, 8 to 9 to the mm., edges 

 entire, darker than tubes, velvety to touch; spores not found, 

 according to Lloyd globose, 5/x diam. deeply coloured, hyaline when 

 young; setae brown, 21 /a to 28/a long tapering to a point; hyphae 

 3/a to 4fi. 



Distribution. — Recorded by G. Thorncroft, Barberton, Trans- 

 vaal; E. M. Doidge, on Sizygium sp. in the Woodbush, Trans- 



