THE POLYPORACEAE OF WISCONSIN. 25 



do not form distinct patches but are more or less scattered in little 

 groups. The tubes are often nearly spherical. They measure about 

 1 mm. in height, and from .5 mm. to .75 mm. in diameter. They are 

 very delicate and brittle. This species is probably often passed by, be- 

 ing mistaken for a slime-mould. 



Following are the distinctive characteristics : 



Color: White to grayish white. 



Pileus: None or consisting of a few whitish delicate floccose my- 

 celial strands joining the small groups of tubes. 



Tubes: Small, slightly gregarious, spherical to cylindrical, pilose, 

 whitish; on decayed wood. 



2. POROTHELIUM. 



Porothelium fimbriatum (Pers.) Fries (Plate I, fig. 2). 



Wide spreading, (or effused) membranaceous, thin, white, margin 

 fimbriate or ragged, tubes crowded in the center, confluent, becoming 

 more scattered toward the margin, superficial. 



Specimens were found at Blue Mounds, Bangor, on an old stump 

 near Hazelhurst, Star Lake, and Crandon on pine stumps and logs. 

 The longest specimen is 15 cm. in length and about 4 cm. in width. 

 The substance is white, very thin and paper-like. The margin is thin 

 and ragged. The pores start in little papillae or wart-like structures 

 which finally become depressed in the center into tubes and thus ulti- 

 mately form pores. Very young specimens do not have pores and are 

 thus often overlooked. 



3. MERULIUS Hall. 



This genus is characterized by the loose, soft, mucedineous consist- 

 ency of the resupinate or reflexed pileus ; the wax-like or subgelatinous 

 hymenium; the anastomosing folds forming the shallow, irregular and 

 often sinuous pores. 



