TYPE STUDIES IN THE HYDNACEAE 

 II. THE GENUS STECCHERINUM 



Howard J. Banker 



The genus Steccherimmi was established by S. F. Gray- on 

 Hydnum ochraceiim Pers. as the type. In Persoon's herbarium, 

 now preserved in the University of Leyden, there is a specimen 

 marked in what is beheved to be Persoon's hand : Hydnum 

 ochraceum (junius? resupinatum) Prope Parisios." The speci- 

 men has been peeled from the substratum and glued tight to the 

 sheet, hymenial surface down. It is nearly wholly resupinate, 

 the margin being only slightly reflexed. In consistency of sub- 

 stance and character of teeth, so far as they could be made out, 

 the specimen appeared to be identical with American plants com- 

 monly referred to this species. 



As we have observed the plant in this country it presents a con- 

 siderable degree of variation, from very thin sheets with slightly 

 reflexed margins to much thicker layers with distinct prominent 

 pilei. The typical form of the plant as suggested by Persoon's 

 specimen and figure,^ as well as by Sowerby's figure of Hydnum 

 Daviesii,'^ believed to be a synonym, compared with our American 

 plants most nearly like these, appears to be a thin, separable, 

 membranous subiculum more or less reflexed at the margin into 

 numerous thin flabelliform pilei. This typical form of the plant 

 does not appear to be common with us and is usually found on 

 the lower side of large prostrate limbs, spreading upward on the 

 sides of the substratum until compelled to become reflexed to 

 preserve the plagiotropic position of the hymenium. A more 

 common form with us has a thicker subiculum and is usually 

 found growing on the vertical side of standing trunks of various 



^ Investigation prosecuted with the aid of a grant from the Esther Herrman 

 Research Fund of the New York Academy of Science. 

 Nat. Arr. Brit. PI. I : 651. 1821. 

 ^ Persoon, Syn. Meth. Fung. pi. 5. /. 5. 



* Sowerby, Eng. Fung. pi. 15. , 



809 



