No. 3.] HYMENIALES OF CONNECTICUT. 67 



HYDNACE^ Fr. Spine-bearing Fungi. 



The members of this family are easily recognized because 

 of the distinct, spiny, spore-bearing surface of the cap; yet 

 their varying generic and specific characters are puzzling to 

 the amateur collector. The plants vary widely in their habits 

 of growth ; some are found growing in a shelving position 

 from trunks of trees, thus resembling certain Polyporacese ; 

 others grow on the ground, closely resembling Agaricaceae; 

 still others attach themselves very closely to the bark of trees, 

 in the peculiar way described in the family characteristic of 

 Polyporacese, as resupinate. In these resupinate forms, only 

 the spiny, spore-bearing surface is visible; the spines always 

 growing directly towards the ground, which distinguishes the 

 group from the Clavariacese in which the spiny projections 

 are vertical. 



Most of the species have the typical mushroom form ; that 

 is, they have a more or less expanded cap, with a central, well 

 defined stem ; but in some species the stem is wanting, and the 

 caps are attached directly to the substratum (sessile). 



A few species are edible, but as a rule the plants are tough 

 and leathery in consistency. 



There are several distinct genera in this family, but only 

 two are reported. 



Key for the analysis of Connecticut Genera of Hydnacecu. 



Spines springing from folds or ridges which may branch 

 irregularly ; cap thin, spread out over the surface of the 

 wood (resupinate) Irpex 



Spines springing from an even surface, distinct at base ; 

 cap fleshy ; stem central, attached at one side of the cap, 

 or absent ; plants often resupinate Hydnum 



IRPEX Fr. 



Irpex, a harrow. 



The plants of this genus are all resupinate, that is, they 

 spread themselves over logs, the teeth extending outward and 

 downward. The spines are less sharply pointed and awl- 

 shaped than in Hydnum, and are more or less connected at the 



