392 



MUSHROOMS. EDIBLE AND OTHERWISE 



Figure 322. Polyporus leucomelas. 



Polyporus Berkelyi. Fr. 

 Berkeley's Poeyporus. Edibee. 



The pileoli are fleshy, tough, becoming hard and corky, many times imbricated, 

 sometimes growing very large, with many in a head ; subzonate, finally tomentose ; 

 the plant very much branched, alutaceous. 



The stem is short or entirely wanting, arising from a long and thick caudex. 



The pore surface is very large, the pores are large and irregular, angular, 

 pale-yellowish. 



I have seen some very large specimens of this species. The natural size 

 of the specimen in Figure 323 is two and one-fourth feet across. When young 

 it is edible, but not equal to P. sulphureus. It is found growing on the ground 

 near trees and stumps, and is a widely distributed plant. 



