NOTES ON AUSTRALIAN FUNGI. 



485 



29. Polyporus (Petaloides) subfulvus Berk. 

 Lloyd has identified for us, at first with some doubt, three 

 collections. The localities of two of these are not noted, 

 the third was from Leura (June, 1916). The specimens are 

 in most part resupinate with a raised edge. 



Section 25. Red Species. 



30. Polystictus (Petaloides) sanguineus Linn. 



The common and beautiful vermilion-coloured leathery 

 fungi so frequently found throughout Australia on fallen 

 logs and sticks are referable to the species P. sanguineus 

 and P. cinnabarinus. They materially assist, by their 

 penetrating mycelium, in the decay of the substance on 

 which they grow; though this is usually worthless material, 

 occasionally useful timber is also attacked. In colour and 

 general appearance these two species are identical, the 

 only difference being that the former is much thinner and 

 contracted with a short lateral stem-like base, whilst the 

 latter has generally a broad attachment. In the neigh- 

 bourhood of Sydney, typical instances of both forms may 

 be met with, though the latter is more common. Since P. 

 sanguineus is the tropical species and the other the tem- 

 perate one, the occurrence of both might be expected in 

 this area, the thinner form being met with in sheltered 

 areas, especially in swamps, where moisture is abundant. 

 So close is the resemblance between the two, that we 

 referred the question of their being merely varieties of one 

 species to 0. G. Lloyd. In his reply he states that he con- 

 siders them entitled to separate names, although they are 

 really only the tropical and temperate forms of the same 

 species. He adds that he rarely has difficulty in classifying 

 specimens from various parts of the world, except in the 

 case of occasional specimens from districts which may be 

 classed as between the tropics and the temperate regions. 



