PALLIDUS. CONTEXT PALE. 



This differs from all other European species of Fomes in its soft 

 flesh, hence is still found in Saccardo as a Polyporus. Notwithstand- 

 ing its soft context, it is a typical Fomes, permanent, of slow growth, 

 and with many annual pore layers, which, however, become indistinct. 

 The plant occurs in Europe only on the Larch and only known from 

 the Alpine regions. For years it has been employed in medicine as 

 a laxative, and the crude drug is mostly exported from Trieste. In 

 the United States it occurs on other acerose trees, and is rather rare. 

 It is only reported from the North and Northwest, but I have a col- 

 lection from the Northeast. 



ILLUSTRATIONS. Bulliard. 296, good; Jacquin, Vol. 

 in medical works. 



t. 21, crude; other figures are largely 



SPECIMENS. P. Hariot, from the Alps; Paul Dumee, Switzerland; L. W. Riddle, Massa- 

 stts; C. V. Piper, Washington; Jas. L. Weir, Idaho. 

 Compare albogriseus, Aegerita, officinalis, purgans. 



Fig. 570. 



Fomes hornodermus 



SECTION 56. LARGE. CONTEXT WHITE, HARD. 



FOMES HORNODERMUS (Fig. 570). Pileus mostly appla- 

 nate, I>^x2 inches thick, rarely ungulate, with a very hard, black, 

 smooth, usually sulcate crust. Context and pore tissue white when 

 freshly cut, but on exposure to air turn fuliginous in spots, very hard, 

 ligneous. Pores minute, hard, in layers. 



214 



