Fig. 1016. 



or Patouillard with "Thelephora Schweinitzii." We do not under- 

 value microscopic features in classification, but we are firm believers 

 in the saying "N'abusez pas du microscope." 



POLYSTICTUS PHAEUS, FROM PROF. A. YASUDA, 

 JAPAN (Fig. 1016). Pileus rigid, thin, sessile, or subresupinate. 

 Surface dark, mummy brown, ve- 

 lutinate, zonate. Context brown. 

 Pores relatively large and shallow, 

 Yi mm. with thin edges. Setae 

 none. Spores (hyaline) not found. 



This is quite close to Poly- 

 stictus phocinus of Ceylon. Same 

 general color context and surface, 

 but pores much larger. While I 

 think it is best classed as Polystic- 

 tus it could be called Hexagona 

 with as much reason as Hexagona 

 variegata is so called. In fact, the 

 plant is close to Hexagona variegata. (Cfr. Hexagona pamphlet, 

 page 12.) I believe its best classification is with Polystictus phocinus 

 and caperatus. Similar species with brown context are not many. 

 One was recently named from Japan, Polystictus umbrinellus, but 

 as it is described as glabrous, I judge it is not the same as this. Of 

 course, I do not know that this is phaeus ; which is not known in the 

 flesh, but it answers the description, and we might as well use the 

 name. It has the same color, surface and pores as Leveille described, 

 and the relatively large pores are unusual. 



PTYCHOGASTER JAPONICUS, FROM PROF. A. YASUDA, 

 JAPAN (Fig. 1017). White, soft, fleshy, growing on the bare 

 ground. Tissue of large, 

 irregular, rigid fibrils, 

 which project, forming 

 pubescent nodules. Coni- 

 dial spores not found. 



Ptychogaster (cfr. 

 Myc. Notes, Polyporoid 

 Issue, page 30) is not an 

 autonomous genus, but a 

 modification of Polypo- 

 roids, and the species 

 should not be named ex- 

 cepting for convenience in 

 keeping them in the mu- 

 seum. This plant is very 

 similar to Ptychogaster albus (cfr. 1. c.), but is entirely different 

 in habits (on ground) and also form. The absence of conidial 

 spores (usually so abundant in Ptychogasters) throws doubt on 

 its "genus," but probably they are not formed in the specimens, 

 which appear to be young. 



681 



Fig. 1017. 



