Murrill: Agaricaceae of Tropical North America 27 



In treating the tropical species, I do not consider it necessary 

 to follow the taxonomic sequence strictly, so I shall begin with 

 the old genus Lentinus, which contains several very common and 

 conspicuous species, rather than with the groups of small sessile 

 species which naturally precede it. 



These conspicuous species of our Tropics, usually regular and 

 centrally stipitate when growing under normal conditions, fall 

 rather easily into three genera, which may be distinguished by 

 means of the following simple key. 



Veil present, at least in young stages. i. Lentodium. 



Veil absent, even in young stages. 



Lamellae adnate. 2. Lentinula. 



Lamellae decurrent. 3- Lentinus. 



I. Lentodium Morgan, Jour. Cine. Soc. Nat. Hist. 18: 36. 1895 

 This genus differs from Lentinus in having a veil, which often 

 disappears with age without forming an annulus. 



Lentodium squamosum (Huds.) 

 Agaricus squamosus Huds. Fl. Angl. 2: 614. 1778. (Based on 



SchaefT. Fung. Bav. pi. 29, 30.) 

 Agaricus squamosus SchaefT. Fung. Bav. ed. 2. 4: 15. pi. 29, 30. 



1800. 



Agaricus lepideus Fries, Obs. Myc. 1: 21. 1815. 

 Lentinus lepideus Fries, Syst. Orb. Veg. 78. 1825. 



This well-known temperate species, so common in Europe and 

 the United States, and so destructive to railway ties and other 

 structural timbers, especially in the southern states, is evidently 

 not well adapted to extreme tropical conditions. No attempts 

 have been made to cite its European synonyms. Lentinus an- 

 nulatus Earle, described from Nevada, differs mainly in its 

 gigantic size. Lentinus suffrutescens Fries, collected by Oersted 

 in Costa Rica, is no doubt an aborted sterile form. 



Cuba, Underzvood & Earle 1495, Earle 55, Earle & Murrill 

 575, Van Herman 249, 177; Jamaica, Earle, E. G. Britton 1049; 

 Porto Rico, Earle 90; Mexico, Murrill 80. 



