SPORES HYALINE. 



This is based on a collection from A. J. T. Janse, Natal, Africa. 

 We call it Trametes, where we think it should be classed, but mention 

 it in the section of Polyporus on account of its general resemblance 

 to the Polyporus species included. It closely resembles Polyporus 

 durus, but is of a lighter shade of color, and of a different texture. 



SECTION 94. CONTEXT OLIVE 



Fig. 680. 



Polyporus supinus. 



POLYPORUS SUPINUS (Fig. 680). Pileus dimidiate, imbri- 

 cate, often resupinate behind, usually with a thin margin. Surface, 

 when fresh, white, dull; when young, minutely pubescent, soft to the 

 touch; when old often spotted with red spots behind. Context dark 

 olive (Dresden brown), hard, firm. Pores minute, 2-4 mm. long, with 

 isabelline tissue and adustus mouths. Spores 4x8 mic., oblong, 

 hyaline, smooth, with granular contents. 



A frequent southern species. It occurs in southern United States, West Indies, 

 and South America. It does not occur in the East. In Florida it was the most 

 common Polyporus we found, and we gathered it in abundance, usually on oak. 

 When fresh it is usually white, sometimes with reddish spots behind; and rarely the 

 surface is entirely reddish brown, when it becomes Polyporus Yalenzuelianus. We 

 also found it entirely resupinate over a large extent, with no sign of a pileus. There 

 is no trouble in recognizing the fresh species, from the peculiar dark olive (as most 

 people would call it) context. In the old herbarium specimens this feature is masked; 

 not only the surface of the pileus becomes dark, but the context loses its peculiar 

 olive tint, and the entire plant becomes somewhat concolorous. It is very hard to 

 recognize the old, historical material in the museums of Europe. The next species is 

 in reality the same as this, but it is much rarer and as it grows is quite distinct. The 

 usual plant is white, with sometimes individuals that are red spotted behind, but 

 the collection that we made of the next form had the pileus entirely reddish, even 

 the young specimens. We have been puzzling for a name for this common plant 

 for years. The tradition in American mycology was that it was hemileucus, and so 



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