POLYPORACE/E 
99 
FOMES 
(Fomes, touchwood or tinder—from the use of many species 
in kindling fire in olden times) 
F. fomentarius (fomentum, tinder—for which it was formerly 
used), “Soft Tinder Fungus.” Plate XXXIII. 7. 
P. 3-8 in.; 3-5 in. thick at the base; distinctly sulcate 
concentrically, glabrous, thick, hard, and persistent. Dingy- 
brown ; margin white at first. F. rather soft, foxy rust- 
colour. T. very long, J - 2 in., stratose, ferruginous. 
Pov. sub-angular, minute; at first powdered with white; 
ferruginous at maturity. It tapers from the thick base to 
the centre, hence is always triangular in section. Occurring 
throughout the year on the trunks of various trees. It has 
been found in peat beds and lake-side pile-dwellings. 
F. igniarius (ignis, fire—from its former use as tinder), 
“ Hard Tinder Fungus.” 
P. globose and tubercular at first, with a thin hoary 
covering ; then thin hoof-shaped, reddish-brown or blackish- 
brown, with a very hard cuticle ; margin rounded. F. zoned, 
ferruginous, very hard, “ not fit for converting into amadou.” 
T. 1-2 in. long, very small, stratose, cinnamon; when senile 
filled with white mycelium. Por. very minute, rounded; 
hoary at first; cinnamon at maturity. On trunks of various 
trees throughout the year; commonly seen on old fruit 
trees. It has been found in peat beds and lake-side pile- 
dwellings. 
F. annosus (annus, a year—growing in yearly strata), 
“Fir-root Polypore.” Plate XII. 
P. convex, then plane, 1-12 in., brown with whitish margin 
in the first year, afterwards glabrous blackish-brown. 
F. rather thick, white. Por. about \ in. long, pure white at 
first, then pallid. Very variable ; sometimes encrusting twigs 
and leaves ; entirely resupinate when growing beneath a log 
or on the exposed surface of a root. Extremely common 
7—2 
