8o BRITISH FUNGI 



Xeroius 



\\c ha\-c only (Mie re})uted British species belonging to this 

 genus, which is probably more mythical than real, so far as this 

 country is concerned. A fungus was figured by one of the old 

 authors about a century ago, and someone coming on the scene 

 later considered that the figure belonged to the genus Xerotus. 

 No such fungus has, however, been met with in modern times ; 

 in fact, the fungus that was figured was perhaps the only one 

 that ever occurred in this country. However, as fungi are such 

 erratic organisms, it has been included from a sentimental stand- 

 point. 



Xerotus is fairly represented in tropical and sub-tropical coun- 

 tries, and one peculiarity of most of the species is that, whatever 

 colour they may be when growing, they almost invariably change 

 to a dark leaden grey or black colour when dried. The cap is very 

 thin and tough, as are the gills, which at first resemble mere folds 

 or ribs, with an entire or unbroken, blunt edge, and often fork. 

 Stem central in our reputed species, ]:)ut in some species excentric. 



Lenzitcs 



Woody. Cap horizontal, dimidiate, that is, projecting hori- 

 zontally, roughly semicircular, and fixed by a broad base, hence 

 sessile ; the gills are simple or forked, and sometimes anastomose 

 to form irregular pores, thus leading up to the typical porous 

 hymenium characteristic of the Polyporaceffi. However, the gills 

 retain much more of the structure characteristic of the Agaricaceae ; 

 but Lenzites may undoubtedly be considered, along with Dccdalea 

 and certain other genera, as transition forms between the two 

 families. 



All the species grow on trunks, stumps, rails, etc. 



Trogia 



This is a paradoxical genus, so far as its one British species is 

 concerned. The genus is known by having thickish, fold-like gills 

 with a shallow groove running along the edge ; in other words, 

 the edge of the gill is split into two laj^ers, as in the genus Schizo- 

 phyllum. But, curiously enough, in the single British species the 

 edge of the gill is not split or channelled ; but it occurred to some- 

 one some time ago that, notwithstanding the fact that the gill 

 edge was not grooved, the fungus agreed more nearly with Trogia 

 than with any other genus, and so it has remained in Trogia. 

 French mycologists consider the fungus in question to be a Mcriilius. 

 Future investigation must decide, but it is not properly a Trogia. 



