Polyporaceee 



FAMILY II. POLYPORACE^J. 



Hymenophore inferior, facing the ground. Hymenium consisting of 

 tubes with poriform mouths which are round or angular, sometimes 

 sinuous or torn, lined with 4-spored sporophores and cystidia. 



Fleshy, coriaceous or woody fungi, most abundant and luxuriant 

 in warm countries. Intermediate between the Agaricaceae and the 

 Hydnaceae, connected with the former by Daedalea and Lenzites, and 

 with the latter by Fistulina and Irpex. Fries. 



Within this large family are famed edible species, notably in Boletinus, 

 Boletus and Fistulina. In the woody species the razor-strop man finds 

 material for his strops (Polyporus celulinus) ; the surgeon styptics; the 

 peasant punk to catch sparks from his flint, and the 4th of July urchin 

 a fire-holder to light his pyrotechnics. The Chinese have placed some 

 species in their fathomless materia medica, while the Polyporus of the 

 locust tree is used in America as a medicine for horses. No fungoid 

 growth is more universal. They are the ever active pruners of our trees 

 and converters of forest debris. They begin the task in Nature's labora- 

 tory of changing decaying wood into assimilable shape as food to feed 

 the very trees that dropped it. Some are of annual growth, others add 

 to their substance year after year, often attaining enormous size. In 

 summer and in winter they are ever present objects for interesting study. 



SYNOPSIS OF GENERA. 



BOLETINUS. Page 398. 



Hymenium composed of broader radiating gills connected by very 

 numerous more narrow anastomosing branches or partitions and forming 

 large angular pores. Tubes somewhat tenacious, not easily separable 

 from the hymenophore and from each other, adnate or subdecurrent, 

 yellowish. Peck. 



BOLETUS. Page 404. 



Stratum of tubes easily separable from the hymenophore. Stem 

 central. 



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