154 
FETCH ; 
The specimens of Xerotus lateritius and X. Berterii from 
Ceylon, in Herb. Kew, bear the same Thwaites’ collection 
number, 393, not consecutive numbers as given in the Fungi 
of Ceylon. There is no difference between them ; both agree 
with the common Ceylon species. 
Kalchbrenner’s type of Anthracophyllum nigritum from 
Natal, which is also in Herb. Kew, does not show any points 
of difference from the Ceylon species. Under the same name, 
in Herb. Kew, there are twelve specimens from Natal (J. M. 
Wood) ; four specimens, Perrottet, 627 ; two specimens 
Perrottet, Manila ; and specimens from Cuba (Wright). 
These all agree with Kalchbrenner’s type, but there is another 
gathering under the same name from South Carolina, 892 
and 917,” which may be a di^erent species. The Kew 
herbarium also contains a specimen of Panus melanophyllus 
from Fries which agrees with Anthracophyllum nigritum. 
It would appear, therefore, that Kalchbrenner’s synonymy 
is correct as far as regards Anthracophyllum nigritum and Panus 
melanophyllus. It is not clear how he arrived at the inclusion 
of A. Beccarianum, but it is quite certain that our common 
Ceylon species is identical with his Anthracophyllum nigritum. 
Moreover, the Ceylon species attributed to Xerotus lateritius 
and Xerotus Berterii are the same thing. In Herb. British 
Museum X. lateritius, X. Berterii, and X. viticola are apparently 
all the same species. 
As far as Ceylon is concerned, therefore, the three names 
Xerotus lateritius, X. Berterii, and Anthracophyllum Beccaria- 
num refer to the same species, which is identical with Panus 
melanophyllus Fries. This fungus is very common in jungles, 
especially in the hills, where it grows in abundance on dead 
twigs and branches. At first it is brownish-red or brick red 
above, paler towards the margin, which is strongly incurved 
in the early stages. The under surface is at first cinnabar, 
subsequently changing to violet, then purple, and finally black. 
It is soft and pliable, like kid leather, when young, but 
becomes rigid and brittle when old. In shape it is orbicular 
or reniform, up to 3 cm. broad, at first campanulate, then 
almost plane, shortly stalked, the stalk eccentric, black-brown, 
minutely t omentose, with a cushion of tawny hyphæ at the 
