226 PUNaUS-FLOEA. 



than Fomes fraxineus or F. variegatus, but hard and perennial, 

 resembling F. annosus in the radiately rugose hard pileus, 

 but quite distinct in the absence of the white sterile margin, 

 &c. 



Pomes resupinatus. Masses. 



Coriaceous but rather spongy, sessile, often broadly effused, 

 and either plane or furnished here and there with nodulose 

 outgrowths ; altogether ferruginous, flesh very thin, fibrous ; 

 tubes stratose, 2-5 mm. long, openings nearly circular. ^-^ 

 mm. across, dissepiments thin, entire, acute ; spores colour- 

 less, elliptical, 4 x 1 • 5 /i. 



Boletus resupinatus, Bolton, Fung. Halifax, t. 165, p. 165. 



Fames spongiosus, Sacc, Syll., vi. n. 5525. 



Boletus spongiosus, Persoon, Syn., p. 543 (according to 

 Saccardo). 



On trunks and branches. Often broadly incrusting, closely 

 adnate, the hymenium often more or less nodulose from the 

 outgrowth of abortiye or imperfectly developed rudimentary 

 pilei ; in other examples the hymenium remains plane and 

 even, and then resembling in general appearance and habit 

 Fames ferruginosus, Fr., but at once distinguished on a micro- 

 scopic examination by the absence of large, coloured cystidia 

 projecting from the hymenial surface. 



Saccardo, in Sacc, Syll. Fung. vi. n. 6525, has given the 

 present species as a synonym under Fomes spongiosus, Pers. ; 

 there is no evidence, however, that the two are identical, 

 whereas there are specimens in the Kew Herbarium agreeing 

 exactly with Bolton's species, and determined as such by the 

 Eev. M. J. Berkeley. 



This curious Boletus (= Fomes), most frequently creeps 

 or spreads upon its back, sometimes it is formed into lumps 

 of a rude turban-shape; in either case it consists of a 

 thin brown crust, which closely embraces the wood on 

 which it grows, and serves as a base or groundwork to the 

 tubes. 



The tubes are long, erect, and constitute almost the whole 

 substance of the plant ; in spreading or creeping specimens, 

 the margin is unequally lobed and blunt ; the surface made 

 uneven by swelling bunches ; the colour, like all the other 

 parts, is a rusty brown. The pores round, but are too small 



u 



