Banker: Type Studies in the Hydnaceae 317 



what resembling Steccheriniim ochraceum (Pers.) in general ap- 

 pearance, but readily distinguished by its soft spongy or almost 

 cotton-like substance and its pronounced reddish color when 

 young and fresh, but this color fades out considerably with age 

 and weathering. There seems to have been no confusion respect- 

 ing the species and it is correctly represented in the Exsiccati of 

 Ravenel, Fung. Car. Exsicc. 3: 18; and Ellis and Everhart, N. 

 Am. Fung. 2nd Series, 2015. The species appears to be confined 

 wholly to the southern states. 



Steccherinum multifidum (Kl.) 



Thelephora multifida Kl. Linnaea 25: 365. 1852. 



Hydnum plumarium Berk. & Curt. Jour. Linn. Soc. 10 : 324. 



1869. Not H. plumarium Berk. & Curt. Grev. i : 97. 1873. 



There is reason for some doubt as to whether this species should 

 be included in the genus Steccherinum or not. It does not appear 

 to have closer affinities with any other genus and if removed 

 would have to be erected into a genus by itself. The principal 

 departure from the generic type is in the character of the 

 hymenial surface, which consists of poorly developed but closely 

 anastomosing ridges more or less cut up into flattened, conical, or 

 cylindrical teeth. In this respect the plant shows some affinity to 

 the genus Phlehia and in places the anastomosation becomes so 

 close as to form alveolar pores, suggesting a close relationship to 

 Favolus of the Polyporaceae. 



The type of Thelephora multifida Kl. is preserved in the Berlin 

 herbarium and is marked "No. 14c. Thelephora (Merisma) 

 multifida Kl. Portorico. Schwanecke." The specimen has the 

 hymenial ridges and teeth so more than usually poorly developed 

 as to be scarcely noticeable, hence the plant was referred to 

 Thelephora. The teeth, however, are present in places, and Hen- 

 nings recognizing them referred the specimen to Hydnum. 



The type of Hydnum plumarium B. & C, Jour. Linn. Soc. 10 : 

 324, is given by Berkeley as 205 " Cuban Fungi. In the 

 Berkeley herbarium at Kew, the specimen is marked 205 

 Hydnum plumosum B. & C, Cuba, Wright (Curtis)." It is an 

 excellent specimen of the same species as Thelephora multifida Kl. 

 It is entirely distinct from Hydnum plumarium B. & C, Grev. i : 



