WHICH IS FOMES NIGRICANS, "FRIES"? 



FOMES NIGRICANS. The fact that there are two very differ- 

 ent plants referred to Fomes nigricans, " Fries," by different botan- 

 ists is not generally appreciated. 



First, there is a Fomes (Fig. 209) growing very common on 



Fig. 209. 



birch, which is in reality a form of Fomes igniarius, with a smooth, 

 black, shining crust. 23 It is called Fomes nigricans, " Fries," by 

 Quelet and Patouillard, and is the plant beautifully shown in the 

 recent plate by Boudier. I have only collected it on birch, but have 

 specimens from France, on willow, which are so referred. It has the 

 same colored context, the same spores (subhyaline, compressed 

 globose, 5-6 mic.), and has a peculiarity I have often noted in Fomes 

 igniarius, which was not overlooked in Boudier's plate, though never 

 mentioned, to my knowledge, in books. The old tubes have a white 

 deposit (lime, I presume), which shows plainly in a section of the 

 pileus of Fomes igniarius, but not any other species, to my knowledge. 

 If this is the true Fomes nigricans of Fries, and I presume it is, then 

 I should consider it a form of Fomes igniarius, but well worthy of a 

 name. 



Second, there is a Fomes, in reality I think a form of Fomes 

 fomentarius, which was called Fomes nigricans, "Fries," by Bresadola 



28 The type form of Fomes igniarius, as it grows in great abundance on all kinds of fron- 

 dose trees in Sweden, has a rough, rimose, black crust, very much resembling, in genera 

 pearance, Fomes rimosus. Last summer I found both forms in northern Canada, the rough 

 form on poplar, the smooth form in great abundance on birch. 



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