16 
FETCH : 
Hennings (5) stated Lentinus tuber -regium occurred in the 
Moluccas, Madagascar, and the Cameroons, and formed a large 
Sclerotium, which was eaten by the natives as a medicine. 
His figure much resembles L. infundibuliformis. 
Recent records of Lentinus iuber-regium appear to refer 
chiefiy to Africa. Eichelbaum (2a) recorded it from East 
Africa, and stated that it did not form a true sclerotium, but 
merely bound the earth together into a ball ; it was not the 
sclerotium, but the pileus, which was eaten by the natives. 
The question has recently been discussed by Ramsbottam (9), 
who identified eight specimens brought from Nigeria by 
Mr. and Mrs. P. A. Talbot as this species. Only in one case 
was there a perfect sclerotium, and that bore nine fruit bodies. 
The microscopic structure of the sclerotium was exactly 
similar to that described by Schroeter and Bommer for 
L. Woermanni. Ramsbottam states that Lentinus flavidus 
Massee, from Old Calabar, which also grows from a sclerotium, 
is identical with the species from Nigeria examined by him. 
He concludes that “ the plant which was described by 
Rumphius, and so long lost sight of, is fairly common in West 
xAfrica, and it is probable that L. Woermanni Cohn and 
Schroet., and certainly that L. flavidus Massee, are merely 
stages of the same fungus.” One would, however, prefer to 
have specimens from the East Indies, where it was said to be 
common, before accepting this decision. 
However, no doubt exists in the case of the other species. 
Lentinus Woermanni Cohn and Schroet., which has frequently 
been found in West Africa, arises from a true sclerotium 
which has been adequately described and figured by Cohn and 
Schroeter and Bommer (1). Lentinus scleroticola from Samoa 
was described by Murray (6), who considered that it was 
parasitic on the sclerotium, an opinion which has not been 
shared by others who have examined the specimen. Lentinus 
cyaihus Berk, and Broome, from Queensland, also arises from 
a sclerotium. Ramsbottam states that L. scleroticola and 
L. cyaihus are quite distinct from one another and from 
L. tuber -regium. 
In addition to species which possess a true sclerotium 
there would appear to exist others whose mycelium merely 
