90 



growth is extremely rapid for one of these firm fungi, and conse- 

 quently any change of any kind in growth that might occur 

 would be easily noticed. The fungus, as was mentioned above, 

 is a common one in the vicinity of Ithaca, sometimes found in 

 large numbers in damp woods and gorges on dead stumps and 

 trunks of hemlocks. It is one of the stalked Polypori, charac- 

 terized by the red varnished appearance of the stalk and pileus. 

 At maturity, which is always in the first year, it being an annual 

 at least in the north, it becomes very hard and brittle. 



Growth in this form begins early in the spring, it being one of 

 the first to start. The fungus breaks through the outer layers 

 of wood and bark and makes its appearance as a soft white round 

 button or ball of mycelium some time in May or early June, 

 though the date is somewhat dependent on external conditions. 

 This button is at first nearly spherical, perhaps a centimeter or 

 less in diameter. As to color, it is perfectly white, being as 

 yet without a trace of the red varnish which characterizes its 

 later stages. It is not until the plant has reached a length of 

 one and a half to two centimeters that it begins to take on the 

 varnished character. The varnish forms on the older parts of 

 the plant, the young growing part always remaining white. This 

 is characteristic of the plant through its entire development. It 

 has a white zone of growing tissue at the margin, while the 

 basal older parts are covered with the varnish. After a part as- 

 sumes this condition, it is incapable of further growth. A num- 

 ber of buttons were noticed, which, probably on account of 

 unfavorable weather conditions, had ceased to grow and had be- 

 come covered with the varnish. Although these were not more 

 than one centimeter in diameter, they remained unchanged the 

 whole season. 



The growing period is confined to the spring and early summer 

 months. It rarely extends to the first of August, though perhaps 

 under favorable conditions it may grow for a longer period, and 

 generally stops by the middle of July. The growth takes place 

 at the extreme edge of the fungus. It is the result of adding 

 more tissue to the outside, or in other words it is exogenous. 

 After a part or zone is once formed, it is incapable of further 



