Art. XIV. — A nezu A.iistralian Stone-viaking Fmigiis. 

 Laccocephalum basilapiloides, McAlp. and Tepp. 



(Plate X.). 

 By D. McAlpine aud J. G. 0. Tepper, F.L.S. 



[Eead 12th July, 180-i. 



This species of fungus belonging to the Polyporacece does not 

 appear referable to any of the known genera of that order. It 

 differs from Boletus in the tubes of the hymenophore not being 

 separable from the sporophore and from Strobilomyees in the pileus 

 not being scaly ; from central-stemmed species of Polyporiis in the 

 promiscuously and peculiai'ly pitted pileus, as well as in being 

 always hard and woody, and from Pol)>^tictus by the absence of 

 zones on the pileus. It is peculiar in forming large stony nodules 

 at its base. 



Genus Laccocephalum, McAlp. 



Sporophore pileate, pitted, stem central ; hymenophore infei'ior, 

 consisting of closely-packed, parallel, cylindrical tubes, distinctly 

 differentiated, but not separable, from sporophore ; openings of 

 tubes sub-rotund or oval ; hymenium lining the cavities of the 

 tubes, spores large, spherical, coloured. 



This genus differs from Polyporus^ to whicli it seems most 

 nearly allied, in l:)eing hard and woody from the first, in the 

 peculiarly pitted pileus and in the character of the spores. 

 Name from the characteristic pitted surface of the pileus — Xukkos, 

 a pit and Kcc^aAr;, tlie head. 



Laccocephalum basilapiloides, McAlp. and Tepp. 



Solitary. Pileus woody, irregularly concave in the middle, 

 remainder convex (concavo-convex), 3^ - 3f in. in dia., about 

 I in. in thickest part, brownish fawn, surface pitted, pits in the 

 middle relatively small, conical, iri-egularly scattered, surrounding 



