POLYPORUS 385 



yellowish-white with darker adpressed scales, tubes short, 

 pores large, irregular in form, whitish, stem short, base" black, 

 pores running down the stem. 



Substance rather soft. A large fungus, pilei 4-8 in. across, 

 sometimes much larger. Greville describes one which 

 measured 7 ft. 5 in. in circumference, and weighed after 

 having been cut four days, 34 Ib. It was only four weeks 

 in attaining the above size, gaining thus an acquisition of 

 weight of above i Ib. 3 oz. in the day. 



FIG. 120. Polyporus squamoms. Parasitic on trunk 

 of sycamore, much reduced. 



Red spruce disease (Polyporus Schweinitzii, Fr.) is a rare 

 fungus in England, specimens of P. hispidus (Fr.) having an 

 indication of a more or less central stem being usually mis- 

 taken for it. In the United States, however, according to 

 Schrenk, it is one of the most destructive species of Polyporus, 

 and is very common throughout the northern forests on the 

 spruce and fir. The red spruce, Picea rubens (Sarg.), is said 

 to be attacked in a wholesale manner. The fungus attacks 

 both old and young trees, entering through the root and 

 growing up the trunk, for sometimes 40 and 50 feet. There 



2 B 



