THE IDENTITY OF PHALLUS RUGULOSUS. 



When I wrote the recent "Synopsis of the Known Phalloids," I was much 

 puzzled to decide what difference existed between Phallus rugulosus of Japan 

 and Phallus gracilis, which proves to be common in other warm countries. 

 I finally decided that if there was any difference it was that Phallus rugulosus 

 did not have the substance of the pileus colored red. It was described from 

 alcoholic material and I suspected that the color had been extracted by the 

 alcohol. 



I took the matter up by correspondence with Professor S. Kusano, Tokyo, 

 Japan, who had previously advised me that he found Phallus rugulosus com- 

 mon in Japan. He has sent me a colored sketch, and he has found the substance 

 of the pileus red, as well as the stem. There is no question now in my mind 

 that Phallus rugulosus is a synonym for Phallus gracilis, which is at best a 

 slender form of Phallus rubicundus, a common plant in many warm countries. 



Like all widely distributed plants it has been discovered to be a "new 

 species" on numerous occasions, and gives promise to rival the celebrated 

 Phallus indusiatus in the number of its aliases. The following are all that 

 have come to my notice thus far, with the names of the country whence ex- 

 ploited. In my opinion all are better referred to Phallus rubicundus, originally 

 from Southern United States, or to Phallus gracilis, at best a slender form 

 of it. Phallus rugulosus of Japan ; Phallus sanguineus of Africa ; Phallus 

 celebicus of the Celebes ; Phallus aurantiacus of India ; Phallus Novae-Hollan- 

 diae of Australia ; Phallus coralloides of Hawaii ; Phallus Balansae of South 

 America; Phallus vitellinus of Australia. 



POLYPORUS BRAUNII. 



I was very much pleased to receive from Monsieur Hariot a fine, 

 fresh specimen of this plant, collected in a hothouse at Cherbourg. 

 I had only known the plant from dried specimens, which are common 

 in the museums of Europe, as the plant has been collected a number 

 of times in the hothouses. While not a native of Europe, it might 

 almost be so considered now, as it is not rare in hothouses all over 

 Europe, and I am told has been found in abandoned mines. When 

 fresh it is a beautifully marked plant, with pore surface of a bright, 

 clear yellow. It is the only truly yellow Polyporus I have seen ex- 

 cept Polyporus croceus, and some Porias. The pores are very small, 

 the mouths bright yellow. As the pores get old, however, in the in- 

 terior they lose the yellow color and the context is better called pale. 

 The prominent microscopic features are numerous, large, rough, hya- 

 line, cylindrical cystidia, about 8 x 40 mic. I found abundant spores, 

 very small, 1^x2^2 mic., hyaline, smooth, but I suspect they are 

 conidial spores. The fresh plant threw down no spores, and Bresa- 

 dola only records his specimens as sterile. 



Classification. The species is found in Saccardo as Polystictus, 

 where it appears to me to have no relation. Strictly speaking, it is a 

 Fomes, for the pores in this specimen are in distinct strata, but many 

 tropical species are perennial, and I think the only practical way is 

 to restrict the Fomes of the tropics to specimens with hard, woody 

 context. Polyporus Engelii (teste Bresadola) and Polyporus rufo- 

 flavus (teste Patouillard) are other names for it. 



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