REPORT OF THE BOTANIST. 73 
are equal, or nearly so, and rotund or subrotund. So far as 
the external characters are concerned, these would be referred 
to the genus Polyporus. Specimens representing all these 
forms are before me as I write, and yet J can only believe that 
they are all forms of one species. For besides these marked 
types all kinds of intermediate connecting links occur among 
the scores of specimens that I have collected from various 
localities. What shall we say of the generic distinctions that 
are thus swept away by a single species? In which genus shall 
we place our protean plant? But its characters are not yet 
fully recorded. In the fresh growing state the dissepiments are 
thick obtuse and covered with a whitish pruinosity which gives 
the hymenium a whitish or cinereous appearance, but with 
advancing age this pruinosity disappears, the dissepiments 
become thinner and the color becomes darker, sometimes even 
darker than the surface of the pileus. They at last become 
toothed or lacerated and lamellated, so that what at first was 
tranvetoid often in old age becomes lenzitoid. If a horizontal 
section of such a lenzitoid hymenium be made it will be found 
that near the hymenophore the hymenium is still trametoid, 
and that there the dissepiments are still thick and firm and 
the pores distinct. The surface of the hymenium varies from 
slightly concave to very convex. Most often it is nearly plane 
or somewhat sloping or deepened toward the base. Not infre- 
quently it is slightly decurrent at the base. 
I have found the plant growing on oak, willow, birches and 
alders. It matures in autumn. 
- Such are the prominent characters of this remarkable fungus, 
which probably includes at least five so-called species. Three 
of these are described as being, sometimes at least, radiate- 
rugulose or radiate-striate, and always zonate. Another is 
described as scabrous and subzonate. These characters are 
present in our plant. So also are the various modifications of 
the hymenium which determine the three genera to which these 
five supposed species have been referred. The texture ascribed 
to them all is essentially the same and the special features of 
each are exhibited in one or another of the various forms of 
our plant. I would therefore group the following as forms 
of one species so-far as can be ascertained from the published 
descriptions : 
Dedalea confragosa Pers. which is represented by forms of 
our plant having a scabrous somewhat zoned pileus of a red- 
dish-brown color and a déeedaleoid hymenium. 
Our specimens exhibit these characters combined, except the 
color which is paler. 
Trametes rubescens A. & 8. which is represented by forms 
that assume the ruddy color and have the trametoid hymenium. 
We have such specimens. 
Lenzites Crategi Berk. which is represented by forms having 
a shining pileus attached by the vertex and having a trameto- 
lenzitoid hymenium. 
