402 MUSHROOMS, EDIBLE AND OTHERWISE 



Polyporus cuticidaris. l'r. , 



Pileus is quite thin, spongy, fleshy, then dry; plane, hairy-tomentose, ferru- 

 ginous, then blackish-brown ; margin fibrous, fimbriate, internally loose and par- 

 allel, fibrous. 



The pores are long, quite small, pale, then ochraceous ; pores longer than 

 the thickness of the flesh. The spores are yellow or ochraceous, very abundant, 

 7X4-5/X. The hairs on the pileus are three-cleft. 



This is very frequent in beech woods about Chillicothe. Found in Sep- 

 tember and October. 



Polyporus circinatus. Pr. 

 Thk Round Polyporus. Ediblk. 



Circinatus is from circiuus, a pair of compasses, hence means rounded like 

 a circle. 



The pileus is three to four inches across, with a double cap, one cap within 

 another, both being compact, thick, round, plane, zoneless, velvety, rusty-yellow 

 to reddish-brown, the flesh being of the same color. The upper cap is pliable, 

 compact, soft, and covered with a soft tomentum, the lower cap, contiguous with 

 the stem, is woody and corky. 



The pores are decurrent, extending down the stem, entire, rather small, 

 dusky-gray. 



The stem is short and rather thick, often swollen, covered with a reddish- 

 brown tomentum. 



This is an odd but handsome species and easily determined because of its 

 double cap. It is said to prefer fir woods, but T have frequently found it in oak 

 woods. It grows on the ground, and when young and fresh the pilei are said 

 to be good. I have never found more than one specimen at a time and never 

 in a condition to eat, though good authorities say it is edible when young and 

 tender. Found in September and October. 



Polyporus adustus. Fr. 



Adustus means scorched, so called from the blackish color of margin. 



The pileus is often imbricated: fleshy, tough, firm. thin, villous, ash-color; 

 margin straight, blackish. 



The pores are minute, round, obtuse, whitish, soon ashy-brown. 



It is abundant everywhere on fallen beech or on beech stumps. It is very 

 close to P. fumosus if it is not identical with it. Tt is found from August to 

 late fall. 



