CONTEXT AND PORES COLORED. 



polypores have what is called "glancing" pore mouths, when the 

 shade of color appears different according to the angle of the light. 

 This is the only species in which we have noted the same effect on the 

 context. The peculiar setae found in the pore tissue are not found in 

 the context. Other species of this same "genus" (Oxyuris) have these 

 setae in both context and pore tissue. 



This plant from the American tropics is only recently known 

 from Brazil, but has lately reached me from E. D. Merrill, Philippines, 

 G. Yamada, Japan, and E. Cheel, Australia. 



SPECIMENS. Brazil, Rev. F. Thiessen, Rev. Rick, P. Pio Buck; Philippines, E. D. Merrill; 

 Japan, G. Yamada; Australia, E. Cheel. 

 Compare f usco-badius. 

 Polyporus dryadeus (see page 352) is probably better classed in this section. 



SECTION 101. CONTEXT BROWN. LIGHT, SPONGY, FIBRILLOSE. 

 SETAE, NONE. 



POLYPORUS FRUTICUM (Fig. 699). Pileus sessile, often en- 

 circling branches, with dual texture, hard pores, and soft, spongy con- 

 text. Usually the pores measure 2-4 mm., the soft, fibrous flesh 1-2 

 cm., but more rarely a thin specimen occurs with the spongy flesh not 

 thicker than the pores. Color varies from bright brown (buckthorn 

 brown), when young, to dark brown (Mars brown), when old. Pores 

 concolorous, minute, 2-4 mm. long, with new layers sometimes spread- 

 ing irregularly over the old ones (then it is technically a "Fomes"). 

 Setae, none. Spores subglobose, small, 3 mic., pale colored. 



This species, readily recognized by its dual nature, is frequent in warm coun- 

 tries of both hemispheres. We have noted it from Florida, West Indies, Brazil, 

 Australia, Malay, Philippines, Africa. Sometimes it grows dimidiate on dead logs, 

 evidently, and other times it encircles branches, even the living branches. The 

 original specimen from Cuba (Fig. 700) was thin, and grew on a living branch (Asi- 

 mina) like a fruit. Berkeley gave it a good name, and it has others Polyporus 

 chrysites, monochrous (Berkeley, not Montagne), capucinus, pseudo-conchatus, and 

 Weberianus all synonyms for us. Usually the plant is thick, and we at one time 

 thought the thin collections were different, but on considering the various collections 

 at Kew, we cannot see where the line can be drawn. However, if one wishes to make 

 species on thickness, the thick specimens can be called Polyporus Weberianus, the 

 thin ones Polyporus fruticum, chrysites, or capucinus. At one time we also thought 

 the specimens grown on living branches and encircling the branches were different 

 from those broadly attached to logs. We had to abandon that also. 



SPECIMENS. Florida, G. C. Fisher; Brazil, Dr. J. Dutra, Rev. F. Thiessen, Rev. J. Rick, 

 P. Pio Buck; Barbados, A. A. Evelyn. Our specimens are all from American tropics, but there are 

 several collections at Kew from Malay and other Eastern countries. 



Compare amplectus, Biretum, chrysites, corrosus, Weberianus, also Fomes pseudoconchatus. 



POLYPORUS MINUTOFRUTICUM. Pileus very small, orbicular, % to 1 

 cm. in diameter, ferruginous, brown. Coutext soft, spongy, concolorous. Pores 1 

 darker, minute, the mouths round or elongated, irregular. Spores hyaline, globose, 

 4-4}4 mic. smooth. 



This little species is attached to twigs in the same manner as Polyporus fruticum. 

 It has the same texture and color and might be held as a small form, but we think it 

 distinct in its very small size and larger spores. Though the spores appear hyaline, 

 we put it in this section from its close relation to Polyporus fruticum. 



SPECIMENS. Madagascar, Henri Perrier de la Bathie. 



366 



