168 Journal of the Mitchell Society [February 



Spores white, elliptic, smooth, 3 X 7.3-8.1[x; basidia about 4. Six 

 thick, projecting (including the 4 sterigmata) about 7.5(x beyond the 

 surface. 



When put in water the hymenium is not wetted, but is finely 

 silvered by a film of air. 



4076. On a corticated branch of a deciduous tree, February 4, 1920. 

 Common on bark and wood. Curtis (as Corticium). 



3. Hymenochaete agglutinans Ellis 



Forming circular or elongated patches up to 2 or more cm. across 

 which fuse on touching and also firmly bind together any two branches 

 in contact in its course; growing margin thick and definite, pure white, 

 tomentose, older surface distinctly zoned with brown and brownish 

 red, covered entirely or in all except the older parts with a thin, 

 felted whitish or tan or drab or rich brown superficial coat. Sub- 

 stance firmly leathery, tough, solid, about 500-700[x thick; yellow- 

 ish, except for the red upper layer which is about 75[i, thick, and which 

 is at first covered with the looser, felted, tomentose, paler coat in 

 which are the strong, red, pointed cystidia which project about 

 37-70[JL above the felt. These are lost as the felt wears away and are 

 absent in the older, smoother parts. Threads of the context about 

 2.5-3[ji. thick, much branched. Context very compact and solid, 

 resembling a real tissue, but bibulous, at least in the surface layer. 



No spores or basidia could be found in our collections, and they 

 are not mentioned by Ellis (Bull. Tor. Bot. Club 5: 46. 1874). 



On drying the margin may become elevated in places, pulling up 

 the upper layer of the bark with it. It does not become truly free as 

 in H. Curtisii. The species is certainly parasitic, at least after get- 

 ting started. 



4694. On living branch of buckeye, New Hope Swamp, December 4, 1920. 



4743. On living branch of hornbeam. University Station, N. C, January 7, 1921. 



CORTICIUM 



Plants forming an entirely resupinate, encrusting, thin layer 

 which is usually leathery and fibrous or hard and brittle, in some 

 cases waxy when damp; hymenium without specialized cells project- 

 ing or included. Spores smooth, or rarely angled, white, or (when 

 fresh) pink. When pink the color of the spores fades soon in the 

 herbarium. Most of the species are saprophytic on wood or bark 



