50 © CIRCULAR 143, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
POLYSTICTUS CINNABARINUS 
The specific name of this plant is derived from its bright cinnabar color. 
The fungus is shelving, pliant, and rather thicker than the following species. 
It grows on dead logs or dead branches of various trees. 
The cap is 1 to 3 inches in width. 
This fungus has a very wide geographic range anal is quickly located by its 
bright and beautiful color. 
POLYSTICTUS PERGAMENUS 
This fungus is thin and very pliant when fresh, somewhat tomentose, with 
indistinct, longitudinal color zones. The tubes are violet or purplish, but the 
plants are easily weathered, and the tubes become lacerated, resembling Irpex, 
a genus possessing teeth instead of tubes. 
The cap is 1 to 1% inches in width. 
This is one of the most common Polypores and is to be found on various 
trees. 
POLYSTICTUS VERSICOLOR 
Polystictus versicolor is easily distinguished by the concentric bands of dif- 
ferent colors, mostly bay or black but occasionally with a narrow zone of 
orange, which mark the cap. The tubes are white, and the margin is thin, 
sterile, and entire. The plants grow densely imbricated and are to be found 
abundantly on dead stumps or trunks of many varieties of trees. 
The cap is three-fourths to 144 inches in width. 
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DAEDALEA 
The plants belonging to the genus Daedalea are sessile, dry, and 
corky. ‘The species are exceedingly interesting on account of the 
hymenophore, which shows intermediate stages between the gill and 
pore fungi. The pores are typically sinuous and labyrinthiform, 
but often the thick platelike developments resemble gills more than 
pores. Several species are of common occurrence, but all are tough 
and corky and none are reported edible. 
DAEDALE'A QUERCINA 
In this species the cap is shelflike, dimidiate, triangular in cross section, 
corky, rigid, smooth or nearly so, wrinkled, grayish to light brownish, margin 
usually thin, pallid; the pores are wavy, some gill-like. 
The cap is 2 to 4% inches or more in width. 
This species occurs on oak (Quercus) stumps and trunks, and because of its 
habit of growing on this host it was named Daedalea quercina. 
MERULIUS 
The species of the genus Merulius are resupinate and subgelatinous. 
The hymenium is wrinkled or foldlike, and the pores are very shallow. 
Species of Merulius are very destructive in dwellings constructed 
wholly or in part of timber. It is probably the most destructive 
timber rot, as it affects both softwoods and hardwoods. Attacks by 
these fungi are common where the light and ventilation are poor, as 
in cellars, basements, and similar places. 
MERULIUS LACRY MANS. WEEPING MERULIUS 
In Merulius lacrymans the fruiting body is flat, prostrate, soft, and charac- 
terized by watery exudations. It is at first white, then red, later changing to 
yellowish brown. ‘This is one of the most common species that attack timber, 
rendering it spongy, watery, and unfit for building purposes. The mycelium 
may develop as long strands, or it may form large sheets which peel off readily. 
