212 
THE LARGER FUNGI 
tractetl downwards into a thic'k stem-like base, 5in. (12,5 cm.) long and l 4 in. 
(4.3 cm.) thick above. The upper surface of the pileus was irregular, convex 
Li places, depressed in others, with a rather thick cuticle, rebety when voung, 
tending when older to split with the edges turning up as large scales, the oldest 
part Vandyke Brown (xxviii.), passing into a rich ferruginous tawny to 
ferruginous russet, the growing edge thick, rounded, somewhat nodular wdth 
shallow indentations, wdiitish in places to Antimony Yellow (xv.). Tubes rip 
to 4 mm. deep, commencing as reticulations, 2 to 21 in 1 mm., finally 2 to 3 in 
1 mm.; orifices I'ather ii'r'egulai', sometimes nearly triang’ular; dissepiments^ as 
thick as the orifices are wide, rounded, sometimes defective, tubes and orifices 
creamy white beconring irregularly discoloured brownish. Stem-like base where 
visible dark brown, velvety. Flesh very thick, up to 21in. (6.2 cm.), fleshy firm 
when cut, white slowiv turning pinkish Irr'own then Russet (xv.), much channelled 
and discoloured by 'the boring of three species of beetles. Spores narrow, 
olrlicjue, nrumrny shaped, white, 7 to 9 x 2.5 to -hu /r. 
319. Polyporus Colensoi Berk. (After Rev. 'William Colenso, who arrived in 
New Zealand in 1S34 and for 65 years was an indefatigable Irotanical collector 
^^l,ere). — Verv large, tough-fleshv, 'weighing sometimes over 71bs. and measuring 
{Photo, hu E. Pogers. 
Figure 46. — Polijpov'us Colensoi Berk. (No. 319). National Park. 
Reduced to about 
up to 13 X llin. and lOin. Irigh (32.5 x 27.5 x 25 cnr.), growing near the bases 
of Eucalypts fr'orn a buried dry mass of felted rnyceliunr and soil several inches 
in dianre'ter. A broad knobby stem, up to 2in. (5 cm.) higir and in places 1 }in. 
(3 cm.) thick, divides in a highly irregular rrranner to end eventually iir numerous 
crowded, rather imbricate, inegulatiy flabellifor-rn, irregularly lobed, lacerated 
and crisped pileoli. The upper surfaces of the prleoli are higiily irregular, 
ofterr with superitrrposed subsidiary pileoli, sorrrewiiat convex externally and 
sorrretirrres concave to funnel-shaired towards the Intend attachment, srrrooth with 
a dull surface, smoky brown beconring blackish-br'own towuir-ds the edge 
(Saecardo’s Uirrber to Warm Sepia, xxix., and darker). llyrnenial surface 
Pinkish Buff (xxix.), when old sonretimes Light Vinaceous Cinnamon (xxix.); 
pore orifices irr-egular', usually rather elongated laterally and about 2 x 0.5 rrrnr., 
sonretinres radially ar'ranged and irregulariy lenzitiforrrr with cross-partitions, 
sometimes irpiciforrn : dissepiments thin with rounded edges, sonretirrres plate- 
like and lacerated, the smaller cross- partitions often defective with free ends; 
tubes up to 4 rrrnr. deep. Context fleshy-tough, whitish. Spores subspherical, 
hvaline, srrrooth, 5.5 .x 3.5 /i. On the groutrd at the Irases of Eucalyrrts. South 
