194 BKPOBT OF THE STATB BOTANIST 



Polyporese. 



BOLETI, POLYPORI AND LiVER FuNOUS. 



In the family Polyporese the cap has no gills on the lower sur- 

 face, but instead of them there are small tubes, holes or pores. 

 The spores of the fungus are produced on the inner surface of 

 these pores, and when mature, they are dropped or ejected from 

 them into the open air. They may be caught in the same man- 

 ner as the spores of agarics, but their color has not been em- 

 employed in classification to the same extent that it has in that 

 family. The edible species to be described belong to three gen- 

 era. Boletus, Polyporus and FiatuUna. The distinctive charac- 

 ters of these genera are indicated in the subjoined table. 



Pores compacted together and forming a continuous 



stratum 1 



Pores each in a distinct tube Fistulina. 



1 Stratum of pores easily separable from the cap Boletus. 



1 Stratum of pores not separable from the cap Polyporus. 



Boletus Ddl. 

 The genus Boletus contains most of the edible species of this 

 family. The substance of the cap is soft and fleshy and the cel- 

 lular or porous stratum on the lower surface may be easily and 

 smoothly removed by pressing it outwardly from the stem 

 toward the margin. This is the chief character by which to 

 separate a boletus from a polyporus. Nearl}^ all boleti grow on 

 the ground and have the stem centrally attached to the cap. 

 Unfortunately for mushroom eaters, many of them grow only in 

 warm and wet or showery weather when insects are numerous, 

 and therefore they are very liable to be infested by larva). Care 

 must be taken to reject such plants. The stems also must be 

 discarded, for they are too tough to be good. The tubes or pores 

 are apt to form a disagreeable mucilaginous mass if retained, and 

 it is well to remove them before cooking. Some species have a 

 viscid surface to the cap which causes dirt, sticks and leaves to 

 adhere tenaciously to it. The caps of such plants should be 

 peeled before cooking. 



Cap viscid when moist 1 



Cap not viscid 3 



1 Stem furnished with a collar 3 



