The Genus Hydnochaete. 



This, for me, is an artificial genus, and could be classed either as 

 a tubercular Hymenochaete or a Grandinia with setae, or a "genus," 

 if you wish. I think the simplest way to classify it would be to con- 

 sider it a section of Hymenochaete. Since Cooke exploited the genus 

 Hymenochaete based on these same colored hairs (setae), it is quite 

 the fashion, every time some one discovers these hairs on a speci- 

 men, to make a "new genus" for it. It could be done for Agarics, 

 but no one ever did it. However, as long as Murrill is working on 

 the Agaric subject, there is still hope. Ellis discovered these setae 

 on Polypores, and proposed a new genus, Mucronoporus; and I 

 know, from conversation with him, that he was much chagrined that 

 no one followed him. He said, and said truly, if it is a good generic 

 character in Thelephoraceae, it is just as good in Polyporaceae. The 

 Thelephoraceae men are quite content, apparently, to break up the 

 old genus Stereum on the basis of these hairs, and call the split Hy- 

 menochaete. It is not very logical, as originally, the genus Stereum 

 itself was based on these hairs, and it is contrary to the "sacred laws 

 of priority"; but the aforesaid "sacred laws" do not have much force 

 when they come in conflict with somebody's pet theory. 



When proposed, the genus Hydnochaete was restricted to re- 

 supinate species, the original specimen being resupinate; but it is not 

 logical to so restrict it when the same author includes in the closely- 

 related Hymenochaete both resupinate and pileate species. In this 

 sense, I believe there are only four species known. 



HYDNOCHAETE SETOSA (Fig. 766). Pileus dark, ferru- 

 ginous, with coarse, strigose, matted hairs. Hymenium dark, with 

 dense, permanent warts. Setae abundant, dense, covering the warts, 

 projecting 20-30 mic. 



This seems a frequent species in the American tropics, and at 

 Kew are specimens from Cuba, Mexico, and Venezuela. It was 

 originally collected in Jamaica by Swartz, and his specimens are at 

 the British Museum and in Persoon's herbarium at Leiden. Persoon 

 named it in mss. "Thelephora paradoxa," but never published it. 



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