42 BULLETIN 175, U. S. DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 



Polystictus versicolor. 



Polysticus versicolor is easily distinguished by the concentric bands of different 

 colors, mostly bay or black, which mark the cap. The tubes are white, and the mar- 

 gin thin, sterile, and entire. The plants grow densely imbricated and are to be found 

 abundantly on dead stumps or trunks of many varieties of trees. 



Caps three-fourths inch to 1J inches in width. 



FISTULINA. 



In the genus Fistulina the stem is lateral or very short, the fruiting 

 body growing horizontally from trunks of living trees or stumps of 

 recently cut trees. It is distinguished from Boletus and Polyporus 

 by the tubes, which are separate from one another and closed at the 

 mouth when young. 



Fistulina hepatica. Beefsteak fungus. (Edible.) 



Specimens of this species are always shelving and may be sessile or stipitate. The 

 caps are subspatulate, the margin entire, wavy or scalloped, blood red, and at maturity 

 marked with more or less radiating lines. The flesh, is red, thick, soft, juicy, and 

 traversed by tenacious fibers. The tubes are at first short and yellowish, becoming 

 elongated and discolored in age. 



Caps 3^ to 8 inches broad, reported as attaining in England a weight of 30 pounds. 

 (PI. XXXI, fig. 1; from C. G. Lloyd.) 



This fungus is variously known as the beefsteak fungus, beef tongue, oak tongue, or 

 chestnut tongue. It grows from decaying crevices of certain deciduous trees, such as 

 the oak and chestnut, but preferably the chestnut. This species is widely distributed 

 and has an international reputation for its edibility. 



DAEDALEA. 



The plants belonging to the genus Daedalea are sessile, dry, and 

 corky. The species are exceedingly interesting on account of the 

 hymenophore, which shows intermediate stages between the gill and 

 pore fungi. The pores are typically sinuous and labyrinthif orm, but 

 often the thick platelike developments simulate gills more than pores. 

 Several species are of common occurrence, but all are tough and 

 corky and none reported edible. 



Daedalea quercina. 



Cap shelflike, dimidiate, triangular in cross section, corky, rigid, smooth or nearly 

 so, wrinkled, grayish to light brownish, margin usually thin, pallid; pores wavy, 

 some gill-bike. 



Caps 2 to 4^ inches or more in width. 



This species occurs on oak (Quercus) stumps and trunks, and because of its habit of 

 growing on this host it was named Daedalea quercina. 



MERTJTJUS. 



The species of the genus Merulius are resupinate and subgelatinous . 

 The hymenium is wrinkled or foldlike and the pores are very shallow. 



Species of Merulius are very troublesome and destructive in dwell- 

 ings constructed wholly or in part of timber. Attacks by these 

 fungi are common where the light and ventilation are poor, as in 

 cellars, basements, and similar places. 



