21 



Tho sporophores grow eithor on the roots of nn affected tree or on 

 the trunk, the former l)eiiio- the usual position. When growing on 

 the ground the pile us is supported on a ver}^ short stalk; it is sessile 

 when growing from the trunk. There are usually several shelves 

 which are grown together at the center in the ground form, or grown 

 one above the other in the trunk form (see text figure 1 and PL I, 

 fig. 1). The whole body varies greatly in size. The smallest 

 specimens collected during the past summer were 4 inches (lO'"") in 

 diameter; the largest about l-i inches (So""'"). The hymenial layer 

 begins to form some three days after the body of the pileus is com- 



FiG. 1.— Poly pur an schu'ciiiitzu Fr. growing on a fallen Fir. 



plete, so that there is always a wide band of stei'ile hyph^e on the 

 under side of the pileus during the period that the pileus is growing 

 in width. When this growth stops, the tubes gradually form close up 

 to the edge. The hymenium when fresh is rose colored; when touched 

 or ])ruised it turns dark red very quickly. The Inight colors of the 

 young pileus gradually give way to more subdued ones as the fungus 

 grows older. A few days after growth has come to a standstill, the 

 spores ripen and begin to be discharged. The}'^ come off in clouds 

 plainly ^'isi])le to the naked eye. Slips of glass placed under the 

 pileus and left overnight had so thick a layer of spores deposited 



