138 



Mycologia 



4. Merulius aureus Fr. 

 Plate 10, fig. 4 



This is one of the more uncommon species of Merulius. An 

 excellent collection was made October 5 on the decorticated 

 trunk of a pitch pine (Pinus rigida) near State College. In 

 these specimens the plant is largely resupinate but with a definite 

 reflexed border in many cases. The largest specimen had a 

 spread of 15 cm. in length and about 5 cm. in width. The 

 color of the young plant, or the growing margins of older resu- 

 pinate specimens is buff yellow or light orange yellow. The 

 color of the reflexed pileus is close to yellow ochre and varies 

 from finely pubescent to glabrous. The color of the hymenium 

 is not closely matched in Ridgway's Manual, being darker than 

 zinc orange and too bright for cinnamon rufous. Xanthine 

 orange is probably closer. The color is quite similar to that of 

 Paxillus corrugatus and the configuration of the hymenium sug- 

 gests a relationship with that plant. The absence of any odor, 

 however, immediately corrects any impression that it might be 

 that species. This collection shows quite well that when first 

 formed the fruiting bodies are nearly orbicular and 0.5-1.5 cm. 

 broad. They soon become laterally confluent to the measure- 

 ments given above, but even in such specimens it is often possible 

 to trace the limits of the original sporophores, as the folds are 

 often sub-lamellate and radially arranged from the center. The 

 spores are oblong or short-cylindric and sometimes pointed at 

 one end, smooth, hyaline under the microscope, and measure 

 3-4 X 1.5-2 ft; cystidia none. Dr. Burt states that in mass the 

 spores of the species are somewhat yellowish, but light spore 

 falls obtained from these specimens are colorless. 



5. MUCRONELLA ULMI Peck 



Plate 10, fig. 5 



This peculiar plant has been found in considerable abundance 

 for the first time since its appearance here in 191 5. Its small 

 size makes it very inconspicuous and easily overlooked. It 

 grows on the bark on the north side of a living Ulmus americana 



