178 Journal of the Mitchell Society [March 



is covered with innumerable, short, glistening-white, pendant spines 

 about 5.8 mm. long. Spores (of l^o. 1447) spherical to subelliptic, 

 smooth, pure white, clear, one oil drop ; 3.7-4.6 x 4.4-5. 3/*. Edible. 



This species may be distinguished from all others by its much 

 branched character, its delicacy and snowy whiteness, and by the dis- 

 tribution of the spines over the entire plant. This is certainly the 

 form that passes under the name given above (see Banker, in My- 

 cologia 4:276. 1912). It is probable that the M. coralloides is noth- 

 ing more than another growth form of this. It is certainly distinct 

 from all forms of M. cordiformis which has a solid, bulky body and 

 larger spores. 



296. Battle's Park on a dead log, October 3, 1910. 



1447. On dead log just below woods road, south of cemetery, October 29, 

 1914. Photo. 



1984. On a dead hickory about 10 feet from the ground, Battle's Park, Novem- 

 ber 12, 1915. 



Blowing Rock. Atkinson. 

 Common, side of trunks. Curtis. 



Genus Steccheeinum. 



Plants with distinct cap, which is usually laterally sessile or more 

 or less distinctly stalked, occasionally partly resupinate ; texture tough 

 and fibrous ; growing on wood. 



Key to the Species. 



Cap strongly tomentose. 



Color light grayish-brown; ilesh dry S. Rhois (2) 



Color light buff at maturity; flesh juicy S. pulcherrimnm (1) 



Cap smooth or very minutely tomentose S. adustum (3) 



1. Steccherinum pulcherrimum (B. & C.) Banker 



Plate 11. 



Caps expanded, horizontal, imbricated and partly confluent, en- 

 tirely sessile from a resupinate base; individual caps about 4 cm. 

 wide, 2-2.5 cm. thick at base, quickly thinning towards the margin. 

 Surface densely fibrous, whitish when young, turning light buff or 

 rosy buff. Flesh white, fibrous, tough, elastic and fleshy, 1.5-2 mm. 

 thick at base, about 4 mm. thick near the rather blunt margin, almost 



