324 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [NOVEMBER 
is the formation of a colored viscous substance on the surface of the 
stem and pileus which dries and hardens into a smooth, hard, thin, 
lustrous crust or “skin,” which gives the plants a varnished appear- 
ance. In typical forms of P. lucidus this is a reddish chestnut, or 
marron color, varying to darker colors or even blackish in some forms 
of the species. The surface of the pileus is often marked by concen- 
tric rings and furrows, usually not very pronounced, and usually 
toward or on the margin where the rings are often close together. 
The surface is often radiately rugose. The pileus varies from 2-25°" 
or more in diameter and 1-4°™ thick behind. The stipe varies 
greatly in length, and from o. 5-4°™ in diameter. The tubes are long 
and slender, brown within, the mouths circular, angular, white or 
yellowish, finally yellowish brown, with the dissepiments thin and 
acute. The trama or context of the pileus is pallid to brown, the 
portion next the tubes being darker brown, about the same color as 
the tubes, while it is paler to almost white next the varnished crust. 
The context of the stem is brown, with more or less distinct transversé 
Concentric zones, which are also found to some extent in the pileus, 
and there is a distinct radiating fibrous structure extending into the 
pileus. The context is also soft and “punky.” 
Before the plant is mature, and while it is in different stages of 
development, the growing end of the stipe and the growing margin 
of the pileus are whitish, then changing to reddish yellow and finally 
chestnut as the varnishing becomes complete. BULLIARD® and 
Giter® figure young plants showing the lighter-colored marge: 
This condition is different from the yellowish unvarnished condition 
of the pileus of P, curtisii Berk.” from the southern United States, 
with which Murrir8 compared BULLIARD’s and GILLET’s figure. 
The fact that the typical form of P. Jucidus occurs in Europe 0? 
frondose trees lends additional interest to the most common form 
of this species in the United States, which occurs on the hemlock- 
+ *See Encerron, C. W., The rate and period of growth of Polyporus pact 
orreya. 7289-97. 1907. C 
ice obliquatus Bulliard. Herb. de la France. pl. 7, fig. A, pl 459: fas: Bs“ 
* Polyporus iucidus Fr. Gillet. Champignons de la France 666. 
i olyporus curtisii Berkeley. Hook. Jour. Bot. 1: ror. 1849. 
ull. Torr. Bot. Club 29:604. 1902. 
