POLYFOREAE OF SOUTH AFRICA. 293 



KEY TO THE SPECIES. 



Colour gland and cristated cells both absent. 



Plant laterally stipitate, orange red, exceeding 2 mm. in diam. 



L. Thwaitesii 1 



1. Laschia Thwaitesii, B. and Br. 



Pileus laterally stipitate, reniform, 3 mm. to 5 mm. in diam., 

 0-5 mm. thick, orange red, surface strongly tessellate; colour glands 

 and cristated cells absent, cuticular cells with coloured contents; 

 pores hexagonal 3 to 4 to the mm., row adjoining stalk radially 

 elongated; stipe 1 mm. to 2 mm. long, 0-3 mm. to 0-5 mm. diam, 

 concolorous with pileus. 



Distribution. — Not uncommon in bush around Durban on 

 dead branches lying on the gromtd, found by the writer. Usually 

 it grows caespitose. The specimens collected were all rather small. 

 Other Laschia spp. have been recorded, but so far have not come 

 to the writer's notice. 



Addendum: Note on an Intbresting Abnormal Form of 

 polyporus lucidus, leyss. 



Read Jul > 12, 1921. 



In a previous publication of this Journal* we have dealt with 

 the fungus Polyporus lucidus, and illustrated the fructifications very 

 fully. An abnormal form of the fungus {P. lucidus) was collected 

 by Mr. A. L. Forbes on a log of wood in a mine at Johannesburg 

 between 4,000 to 5,000 feet below the surface. Two specimens were 

 found. Other fungi, and notably Lentinus hpideus, are known 

 often to take on very peculiar and almost unrecognisable forms 

 when growing in mines, and this abnormality in Polyporus lucidus 

 is of great interest. 



The tall specimen of P. lucidus measured 2 feet 7 inches in 

 height and was entirely sterile, whereas the other specimen had the 

 two larger branches fertile at the top for a length of about 5| 

 inches. 



* South African Journal of Science, Vol. XIII, pp. 506-515. 



