150 



since described and the many that were overlooked by the 

 authors of Sytiopsis Filicitin. 



Columbia University, Octobers, 1904. 



A NEW SPECIES OF POLYPORUS FROM 

 TENNESSEE 



By William A. Murrill. 



Among the many interesting things found in the partially ex- 

 plored regions of Virginia and Tennessee during the past summer 

 was a little undescribed species of true Polyporus, as the genus is 

 at present limited. Considering the work already done in this 

 group and the ease with which these plants as a group may be 

 recognized, I was quite surprised at the find. It indicates the 

 unfinished work at our very doors even in comparatively well- 

 known genera of fungi and shows how much there is yet to be 

 done by earnest collectors in almost any locality. 



The genus Polyporus as at present limited comprises for the 

 most part, small, central-stemmed plants found in the woods 

 on fallen sticks and logs. Of the twenty-three North Ameri- 

 can species (Bulletin Torrey Club, 31 : 29. 1904), eight are 

 known from Cuba only, one from Porto Rico, one from St. 

 Kitts, two from Central America and one from various parts of 

 Tropical America. This leaves only ten species to be met with 

 in the United States ; and only half of these, /. e., P. Polyporus, 

 P. arciilarius, P. clcgans, P. fissus and P. caudicinus, are to any 

 extent common, the remaining five being extremely rare and 

 local. Of these local species, Louisiana has one, Alabama one, 

 Ohio one, South Carolina one and North Carolina one ; and one 

 is now known from Tennessee. 



When I first saw this new plant in the rocky woods at Unaka 

 Springs in East Tennessee, the resemblance to a little gray Clitocybe 

 common in the same mountains was so striking that I came near 

 passing it by; but upon closer examination it revealed the large 

 pores, umbilicate [)ilcus and hairy margin characteristic of the 



