[Vol. 2 

 760 ANNALS OF THE MISSOUKI BOTANICAL GARDEN 



Fries, Elenchus Fung. 1:215. 1828. Thelephora acerina 

 forma Abietis Fries, Syst. Myc. 1:453. 1S21. Co rticium 

 Ahietis (Fr.) Romell, Bot. Not. 1895:72. 1895. Xero carpus 

 farinellus Karsten, Finska Vet.-Soc. Bidrag 37:139. 1882. 

 Illustrations: Bresadola, loc. cit.; Patouillard, Essai 

 Taxon. Hym. 25. /. irh. 



Fructification effused, closely adnate, crustaceous, slightly 

 pulverulent, shining white at first, at length darkening in 

 the central portion from cartridge-buff to pale drab-gray, 

 cracked, the margin much thinner and farinaceous ; structure 



in section, 50-150 n thick, (1) with hyphae 

 next the substratum interwoven, 2 /i thick, 

 the wall gelatinously modified, (2) hy- 

 menial layer 40-60 /x thick, composed of 

 basidia and of paraphyses branched at the 

 apex into very fine branches loaded with 

 Fig. 3 " minute granules; basidia more abundant in 



Pa4hytTx540. the lowcr portiou of the hymenial layer, 



longitudinally septate, 14 X 9 M ; spores 

 colorless, simple, cylindric, curved, 8-12 X 4-5 /x. 

 Fructifications 3-9 cm. long, 1-3 cm. broad. 

 On bark and wood of dead branches of spruce, pine, hem- 

 lock, white cedar, oak, ash, elm, maple, and elder. Canada, 

 northern New England, and New York to Georgia, and in 

 Washington. March to January perhaps throughout the year. 

 As good distinctive macroscopic characters this species has : 

 chalky white color with central portions ashy; powdery sur- 

 face under a lens ; thinness on drying and margin still thinner, 

 so that it appears mealy under a lens rather than mem- 

 branous. The fine branches and granules at the tips of the 

 paraphyses show best in lactic acid preparations ; potassium 

 hydrate solution has a solvent action here. I have not been 

 able to study an authentic specimen of Thelephora calcea Pers. 

 and accept Bresadola 's conclusion on this point. 



Specimens examined : 

 Exsiccati: Romell, Fungi Exs. Scand. 129. 

 Austria: G. Bresadola. 

 Sweden: L. Romell, 58, 59; Stockholm, L. Romell, Fungi Exs. 



