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Mycologia 
genus and published the combination Hydnochaetella setigera 
(Peck) Sacc., making Hydnochaetella Sacc. another typonym of 
Asterodon Pat. 
In 1896, Bresadola published the genus Hydnochaete as a mono- 
typic genus based on H. badia Bres., 5 a species from Brazil, thus 
antedating Peck in the use of the name. As Hydnochaete Bres. 
is also characterized by the presence of reddish setae, some con- 
fusion has arisen in respect to these genera. Bresadola expressly 
states that his genus Hydnochaete is near but distinct from Aster- 
odon Pat. He also remarks that he has three forms of the species 
H. badia, the first “ perfecte hydnoidea ” ; the second “ raduloi- 
dea”; and the third “ irpicoidea.” Having received from Bresa- 
dola by his generous kindness authentic material of his H. badia, 
presumably a part of the original collection, we have had the op- 
portunity of examining the characters of this interesting species. 
In respect to substance, development of the hymenophore, and 
the character of the setae, the species appears to be distinctly con- 
generic with Hydnoporia fuscescens (Schw.) Murrill. It may 
also be noted that the latter species is quite variable in the de- 
velopment of the hymenial surface and may often be described 
as hydnoid, or raduloid, or irpicoid, or even polvporoid. Con- 
sidering the highly variable character of both these species, the 
question may be raised as to whether they are specifically distinct. 
We are familiar with the Schweinitzian species, which is abun- 
dant in North America, and, while the Bresadolan material is not 
in sufficient quantity to settle the matter beyond all doubt, we be- 
lieve they are distinct. Hydnochaete badia Bres. has a thicker sub- 
iculum and is darker colored, being umbrinous to badious within 
and gray-brown or fuscous on the hymenial surface, while Hydno- 
poria fuscescens (Schw.) Murrill is more fulvous both within 
and without. 
It may be noted that the setae in Hydnochaete Bres. are essen- 
tially different from those in Asterodon Pat. In the former, 
there are no branched or stellate forms and the seta is not simply 
the modified pointed tip of a single hypha. On the contrary, they 
are much larger than the hyphae and appear to be a distinct mor- 
phological structure, but how they originate or what their rela- 
5 Bresadola, Hedwigia 35: 287. 1896. 
