PARASITISM IN HYMENOCHAETE 
AGGLUTINANS 
Arthur H. Graves 
(With Plate 145, Containing 5 Figures) 
Probably every one in the eastern United States who is inter- 
ested in the fungi knows Hymenochaete agglutinans Ellis, at least 
by sight. The writer had been acquainted with it for many years 
before he knew its name, but, when its identity was once revealed, 
the aptness of its name made it unforgetable. 
During the month of July, 1914, cases of disease directly due to 
the action of this fungus were observed, and the results of the 
investigation of these cases form the subject of the present paper. 
While carrying on some experimental work in the woods at 
Mt. Carmel, Connecticut, the writer’s attention was atracted by a 
small bush or tree which appeared to have been suddenly killed. 
The leaves, although still a dark-green, were withered and dry, 
and hung downward, presenting a sharp contrast to the surround- 
ing healthy foliage. Thus, from a little distance, the symptoms 
were those of a sudden girdling of the plant, as, for example, 
from the work of an insect, or possibly as a result of mechanical 
injury. (Plate 145, figure 1.) 
On examination, the plant was found to be a large spice bush 
[Benzoin aestivale (L.) Nees], with several main stems. One of 
these, the diseased shoot in question, was firmly bound to a dead 
trunk of alder [Alnus incana (L.) Moench.], which lay in an ap- 
proximately horizontal position. The binding material was fur- 
nished by the fungus, Hymenochaete agglutinans, which, with the 
dead alder trunk as its source, had completely surrounded the spice 
bush stem and cemented it closely to the alder. Above this point 
of contact, with the exception of one short branch, the spice bush 
was entirely dead. (Plate 145, figures 1 and 4.) Further inspec- 
tion revealed a young red maple ( Acer rubrum L.) attached to 
the same dead alder in a similar manner, and also killed above the 
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