536 



The Branched Poeyporus (EdibeE) 

 Polyponts frondosus Fries 



This is one of the pore fungi which is not very common but is apt 

 to be found in any locahty, and it grows so large that a single speci- 

 men is often enough for several meals. It grows at the bases of stumps 

 and dead trees or from their roots, and also from the roots of living 

 trees of oak and chestnut, sometimes killing the trees which it attacks. 

 It may be looked for from September to frost. 



The whole plant is 15 to 60 cm. (6 inches to 2 feet) broad, and is 

 very much branched, so that it appears to be made up of a large num- 

 ber of flattened, leaf-like caps. The separate caps are 2 to 5 cm. ( i 

 to 2 inches) broad, irregular in shape, often curved, furrowed, etc., 

 and gray or brownish in color. The surface is slightly hairy, the 

 hairs very short. The tubes on the under sides of the caps are whitish, 

 and their mouths are round and regular in young plants but become 

 irregular in size and shape as the plant matures. The flesh is white. 

 The stem is white and very much branched. 



Young plants are tender and good when broiled or fried. Older 

 plants must be very thoroughly cooked. It is best to stew them first 

 and then fry or broil. 



Another large Polvporus which is apt to be found, is P. sulphureus 

 (Bull.) Fries, the sulphur-colored Polyporus, which is more common 

 than P. frondosus and is highly prized by many people. The whole 

 plant is sulphur-yellow, though the upper surface is usually darker, 

 and often inclines to orange-color. It grows on living or dead trees, 

 stumps, etc., sometimes causing a serious heart-rot of living trees. It 

 is usually composed of several shelf-like, or fan-like caps grown to- 

 gether, the whole cluster becoming a foot or more across. Fresh 

 3^oung plants are excellent broiled, or they may be cut into small pieces 

 and stewed slowly and thoroughly. 



Collected in Champaign county. 



