215 



For weeks after the removal of the fungus the spot on the tree where 

 it had been can be detec4ed by its lighter color, looking as if it had been 

 cleaned. There are, however, no other external marks of the effect of the 

 fungus and the tree appears to suffer little vital injury. Some six years 

 ago a fine specimen was found growing on a beech at a height of 12 or 

 15 feet from the ground in the dooryard of Dr. Edwin Post in Greencastle. 

 The tiiee is still living and apparently thriving. The top of the tree has 

 been cut off or broken out, apparently many years ago and certainly prior 

 to infection by the fungus. The pl,ant does not seem to kill the tree, but 

 such a fungal mass could hardly be produced without considerable injury. 

 The fungus has been observed only on large trees a foot or more in diame- 

 ter. The writer has not been able to examine the wood of a tree attaclced 

 by the fungus, but it seems probable that the mycelium may be confined 

 to the heart wood, which would account for the little injury done to the 

 growing tree, as \^ell as the fact of its confiuement to old trees. 



It seems probable also that the sporophores are produced from small 

 openings, because these offer a suitable patii of exit through the sap-wood. 

 It may appear, therefore, strange to speak of the plant as a parasite ; but 

 while its mycelium may be confined in its vegetative state to the non-living 

 heart-wood, it is also true that the fungus ajjpears to be confined to living 

 trees and is never found on dead trunks, whether standing or fallen. 



The plant seems to prefer the beech as its host. It has been reported 

 as growing on maple and perhaps hickory in the East, where beech is not 

 very abundant. I have never seen the plant in situ on the latter hosts, 

 and illustrations suggest the possibility of the plant's being more or less 

 distinct in character from the one found on beech. The original descrip- 

 tion and figure by Fries was from specimens found on beech in Sweden. 

 These are in every respect typical of specimens found here in Indiana. I 

 have seen no entire specimens of the European form on beech. At Upsala 

 there is in the herbarium an entire specimen of extraordinary size that 

 was found growing on Linden in the Botanical Garden of the University. 

 Although the specimen is dried, it is evident at sight that the plant pre- 

 sents some striking differences from our Indiana plants. The pilei are 

 much smaller, thinner, more numerous and more distinct, the color cinereous 

 rather than creameus, and the teeth somewhat shorter. It is only after 

 closer examination that one hesitates to pronounce it a distinct species. 

 Fries makes mention of the i)lanfs being found on elm in the same Bo- 



