96 MINNESOTA MUSHROOMS 



(2) Caps one-sidcd. very irregular; stems much 



fused P. froiJi/osiis 



2. Cap stemless or nearlv so. shelf-like 



a. Cap large, soft, fleshy, o^'erlappi^g in dense clusters /-'. sal phiiri-us 

 1). Cap more or less cork\- or woodv. single or clustered 



(1) Cap 5-10 cm., corkv to \voodv 



(a) Cap grav or smoke-colored P. aJustiis 



(h] Cap brown or rust-brown P. gi/i-iis 



(c) Cap orange or ^-ermilion P. cinnabarinus 



[2) Cap 10-30 cm., -whitish to reddish brown, fleshy 



at first P. bctiiliuiis 



Polyporus brumalis Winter Polyporus 



C a p 2-10 cm. wide, grayish to soot-colored, smooth or slightly scaly, tough-fleshy 

 to leathery, more or less depressed; stem 2-5 cm, by 4-8 mm,, grayish, hairy or 

 scaly : pores more or less angled, somewhat toothed, whitish ; spores clear, ob- 

 long, curved, 6 \ 2p.. The name refers to the late appearance, often in winter. 



Common on decaying twigs and branches in woodland : too tough to be edible, 



Polyporus atcularius Fringed Polyporus 



Cap 1-4 cm. wide, \-ellow-brown to dark brown, somewhat finely scalv, long- 

 hairy or ciliate at the margin, tough-fleshy, depressed or umbilicate ; stem 1-3 cm. 

 by 2-4 mm., gray-brown to brown, finely scaly: pores angled, large, entire, white; 

 spores clear, ellipisoid. 0-7 X 3-4|U. The name refers to the form. 



Common on decaying twigs in woodland and thickets ; edible when young, but 

 rather tough. 



Polyporus squamosus Scaly Polyporus 



C ap 10-50 cm. wide, yellowish or grayish yellow, covered with broad flat darker 

 scales, tough-fleshy, fan-shaped or irregular; stem e.xcentric 1-4 cm. by 1-3 cm., 

 usually lateral, netted alio\-e. blackish downward; ]iores angled or torn, white or 

 pale; spores clear, ovoid, 12 ~^^^ 5f(. The name refers to the scaly cap. 



( >ccasinnal on the ground in woods; said to attain a width of 7 feet and a 

 weight of 40 puunds. Tnugh. but with a pleasant tkn'or. according to Mclh'aine. 



Polypcrus picipes Blackstem Polyporus 



Cap li>-3n cm. wide, pale brnwn tn rust-bnuvn or cliestnut. snindili. flL-->li\- 

 leatherv. mnre or less funnel-shaped, incomplete, lobod, nften imbricated; stem 2-5 

 cm. by 1-3 cm., excentric nr lateral, dciwnv. tlien snuuith. black; pores small, wliite 

 or \ellowish ; spores globoid. 3-4/j.. The name refers to the pitcli-black stem. 



On decaxinu stumiis or 1ol;s ; whon vounL;. of a delicate fla\'or. 



