1926] 



BURT THELEPHORACEAE OF NORTH AMERICA. XV 329 



VELUTICEPS 



Veluticeps fusca Humphrey & Long, n. sp. 



Type: in Humphrey Herb, and Mo. Bot. Gard. Herb. 



Fructifications coriaceous-corky, resupinate, effuso-reflexed, or 

 conchiform, laterally confluent, with the reflexed part somewhat 

 concentrically sulcate, tomentose, at first nearly auburn or 

 tawny, finally becoming dusky drab and weathering hoary, the 

 margin clay-colored when young, entire, becoming somewhat 

 crisped; hymenium plane, avellaneous, velutinous, thickly stud- 

 ded with protruding fascicles of colored hyphae which have the 

 appearance of teeth of a Hydnum when little magnified; in sec- 

 tion 1-3 mm. thick, wood-brown, composed of densely arranged, 

 suberect and interwoven, rigid, colored hyphae 3-43^ (x in di- 

 ameter, not incrusted, not nodose-septate; hyphal fascicles 12- 

 25 [i in diameter, protruding through and beyond the hymenium 

 up to 90-150 (x and composed of flexuous, parallel, colored hyphae 

 3 3^-7 v- m diameter; basidia simple, with 4 slender, conspicuous 

 sterigmata up to 6 y. long; spores white, even, usually unequi- 

 lateral, 9-10 X 3^-4 { x. 



Confluent over areas up to 12 cm. long and 2-3 cm. wide, the 

 reflexed margin 6-12 mm. broad. 



On decorticated, decaying logs of Pinus ponderosa. Wash- 

 ington, Arizona, and New Mexico. October. 



It is probable that V, fusca occurs more frequently than its 

 few, widely separated, recorded stations indicate, for gatherings 

 are likely to be referred by collectors to Hydnum on account of 

 the superficial resemblance of the hymenial fascicles to teeth 

 of Hydnum. The fructifications are large and conspicuous, 

 somewhat resembling in aspect those of Stereum sulcatum but 

 quite distinct by the hymenial fascicles. 



Specimens examined: 

 Washington: Spokane, J. R. Weir, 611 (in Mo. Bot. Gard. Herb., 



36749). 

 Arizona: Fort Valley Experiment Station, near Flagstaff, W. H. 



Long, 19688, type (in Mo. Bot. Gard. Herb., 20084). 

 New Mexico : Gila National Forest, near Pinos Altos, G. G. Hedg- 



cock & W. H. Long, 9851, comm. by C. J. Humphrey, 2572 (in 



Mo. Bot. Gard. Herb., 11200). 



