FOMES. 221 



Fomes igniarius. Fr. (fig. 20, p. 184.) 



Pilous at first tuberculoso-globose, irnmarginate, even, 

 with a thin, flocculose, adpressed hoary covering, thin hoof- 

 shaped, ferruginous then blackish-brown, opaque, cuticle 

 very hard, uneven; flesh zoned, ferruginous, very hard, 

 margin rounded ; tubes 12 in. long, very small, stratose, 

 convex, cinnamon, when old filled with white mycelium, 

 pores ^-^ mm. across, rounded, at first hoary ; spores sub- 

 globose, hyaline, 6-7 p. diameter, cystidia few, 10-25 x 

 5-G/i. 



Polyporus igniarius, Fries, Syst. Myc. i. p. 375; Stev., 

 Brit. Fung., p. 205. 



On trunks of various trees. 



Differs from Fomes fomentarius and F. nigricans in its entire 

 nature and life-history. The new spring growth adds to 

 the entire substance of young specimens, in larger specimens 

 adds mostly to the margin and hymenium. (Fries.) 



Pileus somewhat like a horse's hoof, irregular, rugose, 

 banded with convex zones, reddish -brown, at length blackish, 

 Bmooth, hard throughout, and not fit for converting into 

 amadou. Pores very minute, slender, yellowish, or greenish- 

 grey, at length cinnamon. The pileus is apt to change its 

 form according to its situation ; and when growing on the 

 under surface of a horizontal cherry-tree branch, it becomes 

 as it were perpendicular, and the pores form a horizontal 

 and circular surface beneath. (Grev.) 



Femes nigricans. Fr. 



Hoof-shaped or pulvinate, very thick, 4-6 in. broad, 3-4 

 in. thick, at the base; pileus densely and concentrically 

 sulcate, cuticle very hard, with a crusty varnished layer, 

 black, smooth, shining, margin very obtuse, ferruginous; 

 flesh very hard, ferruginous; tubes elongated, 2-3 in., 

 distinctly stratose, ferruginous, pores ^ mm. across, obsoletely 

 angular, naked from the first ; spores elliptical, both ends 

 rounded, brown, 5 x 3 \L ; cystidia abundant, 10-25 X 6 p.. 



Polyporus nigricans, Fries, Syst. Myc. i. p. 375 ; Stev., 

 Brit. Fung., p. 204. 



On living and dead birch. The blackish, lacquered, 

 shining pileus distinguishes the present species amongst its 

 allies, but a form is described by Fries with the pileus 



