No. 3-] HYMENIALES OF CONNECTICUT. 55 



Pores gill-like in concentric circles Cyclomyces 



Pores glutinous Glmoporus 



Pores small and round 5 



5. Pores immersed in flesh of cap, of uneven depth. ... 6 

 Pores not immersed in flesh of cap, not of uneven 



depth 8 



6. Pores in intricate and serpentine lines 7 



Pores not in intricate and serpentine lines ; substance 



of the cap corky, cap often lying upon its back. . . . 



Trametes 



7. Lines deep and distinct ; plants corky Dccdalca 



Lines shallow; plants somewhat gelatinous Merulius 



8. Substance of fruit-body in distinct annual layers 



(stratose), woody Fomes 



Substance of fruit-body not in distinct annual layers . 9 



9. Plants membranaceous or leathery Polystictus 



Plants fleshy and tough, often becoming woody. . . . 



Polyporus 



FISTULINA Bull. 

 Fistula, a pipe. 



This genus is a small one with but one species reported 

 from Connecticut. Its characteristics are very marked, so 

 the plants are not easily confused with other genera. The 

 tubes, or pores, are separate or distinct, but are thickly crowded 

 on the under side of the cap, having the appearance of being 

 united. 



F. hepatica, the beefsteak mushroom, is considered edible ; 

 but its strong, acid taste makes it objectionable to many. Dur- 

 ing the past season the plants were found abundantly on chest- 

 nut stumps in the vicinity of Mansfield. They are dark red in 

 color, and when young are very soft and juicy. From a short 

 lateral stem the fruiting-body expands into a broad, fleshy cap 

 which becomes very moist and sticky in wet weather. 



Fistulina hepatica Fr. ( resembling the liver). 

 Mansfield, Aug. (257). 



