168 Mr Price, Observations on Polyporus squamosus, Huds. 
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Observations on Polyporus squamosus, Huds. Preliminary 
Communication. By S. Recinatp Pricr, B.A., Clare College — 
(Frank Smart Student in Botany in the University). 
[Read 10 February 1913. ] 
Polyporus squamosus, the “Saddle-back Fungus” or “ Dryad’s” 
Saddle,” is well known asa parasite upon living trees and a powerful 
timber destroyer. Perhaps the most important work which has 
been done on the biology of this species is detailed in the papers 
published by Prof. A. H. R. Buller* and by Mr F. T. Brooks. 
There were certain features, however, with regard to its biology 
which merited further investigation, and the object of the work 
here summarised was to attempt to throw further light on the 
general life-history of the species. 
The fungus has never before been grown on wood in artificial 
culture. Buller obtained some cultures on gelatine media, but 
did not get infection of wood to take place. 
By making. use of the property of the species of forming a 
spore cloud, as described by Brooks and Buller in the papers 
mentioned abovet, it was possible to collect the spores in large 
quantities and in an uncontaminated condition. For the culture, 
the usual methods, as described by Marshall Ward§ for Stereum 
hirsutum and Brooks|| for Stereum purpureum, were employed. The 
spores were placed on the surfaces of sterilised wood blocks con- 
tained in wide plugged test-tubes, the wood being kept moist by 
a pad of cotton-wool saturated with water. 
Two months or more elapsed before.any sign of mycelium made 
its appearance, after which it gradually spread over the surface. 
Generally the mycelium in older cultures formed a white felt-hke 
mass of very fine hyphae covering the surface of the block. Later 
this became brown in colour and numerous “ oidia” were found to 
be produced. Drops of a brown watery liquid also exuded from 
the mycelium at about this stage. 
Spore cultures were made on elm wood; further cultures were 
made by mycelial transfer in many cases. The mycelium grew on 
blocks of the wood of the elm, lime, sycamore, horse-chestnut, and 
very feebly on that of Pinus. 
* Buller, A. H. R. ‘‘The Biology of Polyporus squamosus Huds., a timber 
destroying Fungus,” Journ. Econ. Biol., 1906, vol. 1. p. 101. 
+ Brooks, F.T. ‘‘Notes on Polyporus squamosus,” New Phyt. vitt.1909, p. 348. 
+ Vide also Buller, Researches on Fungi. 
§ Ward, H. Marshall. “On the Biology of Sterewm hirsutum,” Phil. Trans. 
Roy. Soc. 1898. 
|| Brooks, F. T. ‘‘Silver-leaf Disease,” Jowrn. Agric. Sci., vol. tv. p. 138. 
