264 



Mycologia 



Superficially the fungus bears some resemblance to Polyporus 

 dichrous Fries, and sometimes the hymenium is perhaps inclined 

 to be somewhat waxy in consistency, but it does not peel off in a 

 thin smooth layer in fresh specimens and the color is usually not 

 the same. Moreover, P. dichrous is confined to the wood of 

 deciduous trees. Immature specimens bear some resemblance to 

 certain species of Merulius and one such collection was once re- 

 ferred to a species of that genus, but determinations of such 

 immature material are always to be taken with certain reserva- 

 tions until better material is obtained. 



Name Used in Designating This Decay 



From the standpoint of convenience and simplicity it would be 

 well to have some common name to apply to the decay caused 

 by each of the wood-rotting fungi. Such names should be based 

 on some conspicuous character of the decay. This feature prob- 

 ably can never be carried out in entirety because of the great 

 similarity among the decays produced by several different fungi. 

 For example, decays produced by Polyporus versicolor and a 

 number of related species do not differ conspicuously among 

 themselves nor from the decays produced by three or four of the 

 common pileate species of Stereum. But the idea should be 

 carried out so far as possible. 



Because of the peculiar appearance of the rotted wood it is 

 proposed to designate the decay caused by Polyporus amorphus 

 as the " stringy rot " of pitch pine. 



Macroscopic Characters of the Decayed Wood 



While observations are not complete, the fungus has so far 

 been found attacking only the sapwood of the fallen pines. It 

 has never been found on standing trunks and attempts at locating 

 the mycelium in the sound heart wood have so far failed. Where 

 it attacks the smaller branches in which heart wood has not 

 been formed, it, of course, penetrates entirely through the wood. 



As the pine logs lie on the ground one can never judge, even 

 by tapping with a hammer, to what extent the wood is decayed. 

 The outer layers of the sapwood usually form a firm but thin 



