OF BRITISH FUNGI. 81 



common occurrence, is likely to interest the young 

 mycologist. Dccdalea quercina grows on oak-stumps, 

 sometimes to a large size, spreading out from its sup- 

 port in a semicircular manner, and having the under 

 surface broken up into a number of long, irregular, 

 wavy fissures, as if the walls of several contiguous 

 tubes had been broken down. Another equally com- 

 mon species (D. unicolor), with a zoned or banded 

 pileus, may be met with on stumps. The peculiar 

 form of the pores is one of the chief features of the 

 genus. 



In Merulius, the genus which succeeds it, the tex- 

 ture is not of the woody character of Dccdalea, but 

 on the contrary soft and waxy, and the hymenium is 

 disposed in porous or wavy-toothed folds. The only 

 popularly known species is one which unfortunately 

 is too well known under the name of dry-rot. This 

 name must not be supposed to indicate that the fungus 

 is itself dry, or is caused by the absence of moisture, 

 the contrary of this being the case ; but probably on 

 account of its ravages reducing the structure upon 

 which it establishes itself to a kind of dust. The 

 Merulius lacrymans (lacrymo, Lai, I weep) is often 

 dripping with moisture, as if weeping in regret for 

 the havoc it has made. It is found sometimes 

 attaining a dimension of several feet, and to check or 

 prevent its ravages numerous experiments have been 

 instituted, none having resulted in the discovery of a 

 remedy thoroughly effective, though saturation with 

 creosote appears to be the best. 



G 



