SPORES HYALINE. 



3RD GENERAL DIVISION, AURANTIACUS. 



Fomes with "red" context have been variously designated as latericeous or in 

 Saccardo as ruber. I think they all have an orange shade. They match in Ridgway 

 with orange rufous or Sanford brown. No species occurs in Europe, and but one 

 rarely in the United States. They are mostly tropical. 



SECTION 65. CONTEXT ORANGE RUFOUS. SPORES HYALINE 

 (OR VERY PALE COLORED). 



FOMES KERMES. Pileus thin, applanate, with a dull orange 

 surface, but no distinct crust. Usually the plant is largely resupinate 

 with a slightly reflexed pileus. Context bright, latericeous (I should call 

 it), but it matches Ridgway 's orange rufous. Pores minute, round, 

 at first (apparently) white, but soon become concolorous with the 

 context. Spores not found, but undoubtedly white. 



This is the most frequent red species that occurs in the East. 

 Quantities of it have been distributed lately from the Philippines 

 under the absurd name Fomes albo-marginatus. It is found also at 

 Kew as Polyporus laeticolor from Philippines, Fomes kermes (the 

 best name) from Ceylon, Fomes pyrrhocreas from Australia, and at 

 Berlin as Fomes ochrocroceus from Java. It does not occur in the 

 American tropics. 



Compare laeticolor, albo-marginatus, ochrocroceus, pyrrhocreas. 



FOMES (?) LAETUS. Pileus thin, apparently fleshy. Spores globose, 

 white, smooth, 5-6 mic. 



It is the same colored context and is probably the same plant as Fomes kermes. 

 Still there is no evidence that the type is a "Fomes," and it is thinner, more fleshy, 

 and from this one collection should be classed as Polyporus. If it is a Polyporus, 

 however, there is nothing to indicate that it is a Merisma, as classed. 



FOMES PERLEVIS. Pileus ungulate, (type specimen 6 x 10 

 inches). Surface dark fawn, with no distinct crust, soft, easily in- 

 dented. Context orange rufous, soft. Pores in distinct layers, me- 

 dium, round, the tissue concolorous, but the mouths and hymenial 

 layer pale or white. Spores abundant, mostly 4-4>^ x 5^-6 hyaline, 

 a few (probably the ripe ones) 6-7 x 7^4. 



This is remarkable in its light weight and soft texture, but not- 

 withstanding it is a true Fomes. The context is orange red, but the 

 pale pores and light surface give no indication of it in an uncut spec- 

 imen. I have received several collections from Henri Perrier de la 

 Bathie, Madagascar. It is unknown otherwise. 



Poria fulvo-umbrinus. This, as far as known, is a resupinate Fomes from 

 Brazil, with orange rufous context and elliptical, subhyaline or pale colored spores 

 4x7 mic. It is the only similar plant known from the American tropics. The 

 color of context is exactly the same as that of Fomes tricolor, but why called "yellow 

 umber" when it is orange red? 



231 



