i66 



ORDER II. POLYPOEEI. 



Hymenophore inferior, facing the ground ; hymenium consist- 

 ing of tubes with poriform mouths which are round or angular, 

 sometimes sinuous or torn, lined within with 4-spored sporo- 

 phores and cystidia. 



Fleshy, coriaceous, or woody fungi > most abundant and hixu- 

 riant in warm countries. Intermediate between the Agaricini 

 and the Hydnei, connected with the former by Dcedalea and 

 Lenzites, and with the latter by Fistulina and Irpex. 



Boletus. GENUS XXL Boletus. Dill. Fr. Obs. i. p. 109. (The name of 



a fungus considered a great delicacy among the Romans, 

 derived from jS&JAos, a clod, probably to denote the round 

 figure of the plant.) 



Hymenium wholly composed of small tubes, connected together 

 in a stratum the surface of which is dotted with their poriform 



mouths, and which is distinct from 

 the hymenophore on account of the 

 latter not descending into a trama. 

 Tubes packed close together, easily 

 separating from the hymenophore 

 and from one another. Pores or 

 mouths of the tubes round or angu- 

 lar (in the subgenus Gyrodon sinuous 

 or gyroso-plicate). Spores normally 

 fusiform, rarely oval or somewhat 

 round. Growing on the ground, 

 fleshy, putrescent, with central stems. 

 Mostly edible, and of importance as 

 articles of food; a few poisonous. 



A well-marked and sharply de- 

 fined genus, although some of the 

 species depart so much from the 



type that they have been referred to distinct genera. Fr. Hym. 

 Eur.p. 495. Compare Epicr. p. 408 and Syst. Myc. i. p. 385. 

 The colour of the spores of many of the species is unknown, 



LX. Boletus edulis. One-fourth 

 natural size. 



