Tahitis.
POLYPORUS FERRUGINOSUS. RUST-COLOURED
POLYPORUS.
POLYPORUS ferruginosus ; resupinatus ferrugineus arachnoideo-filamentosus demum lateralis' ses-
silis, pileo convexo tenui subtomentosus, poris profundis majusculis imequalibus an-
gilatis- ^ - j f lH L
POLYPORUS ferruginosus. Fries Syst. Mycol. vol. 1 . p . 378.
BOLETUS ferruginosus. Pers. Syn. Fung. p. 544.
BOLETUS resupinatus. Bolt. Fung. vol. 2. t. 213 ?
BOLETUS Cryptarum. Bull. Fung. t. 478 ? 1
Class an d Ord er . CRYPTOGAMIA FUNGI. H
[N atural Order. FUNGI, kuss:, Decand., Hook.']
Gen. Cha r. Hymenium cum pilei substantia homogeneum et concretum; poris subrotuudis, dissepimentis te-
nuibus simphcibus instructum. Pileus subcarnosus vel suberosus, plerumque subsessilis, substantia fibrosa
sicca. V.elum nullum. Grero. ’
Gen. Char. Hymenium (or'fructifying portion) o f the same'substance as the pileus and incorporated with it,
furnished with pores of which the dissepiments are thin and simple. Pileus somewhat fleshy or corkv, generally
subsessile; the substance fibrous and dry. W* J | J
Fungus hie singularis primum effusus est, etonxnino e
, filamentis numerosis ochraceo-ferrugineis te-
nuissimis articulatis, Confervam simulantibus,for-
matus. Cito pulverulentus evadit, demum spon-
giosus, et in centra porosus; margines. reflexi
sunt, et Boletus maturus lateraliter affixus.
In hoc statu P ileus tenuis est, subhemisphtericus, parvus,
convexuS, subtomentosus, ferrugineus, mar- i
ginibus incurvis saturaiioribus.
Pori vel T ubi numerosi, semiunciam et ultra longi, irreguläres,
angulati, pallide ferruginei, sub summo
lentê evidenter e filamentis minutissimis spondis
fuscis intermixtis compositi.
This singular F ungus is at first spreading, and 'altogether
formed of numerous-ochraceO^flnOginous
very slender Jointed filaments which resemble a
Conferva.^ Soon it becomfeS| pulverulent, then
spongy and porous, in the centre; the margins
are reflexed, and the mature Boletus becomes
fixed on its side.
In-this state the Pileus is thin, subhemispherical, small,
convex, subtomentose, ferruginous, with the margins
incurved and o f a deeper colour.
The Pores or T ubes are numerous, half an inch and
^ more long, irregular, angled, pale ferruginous, and
' under a lens evidently of very minute filaments
mixed with brown sporules.
? TWtUre Plants- f Plant in its young state; all natural size. Fig. 4. Tubes of a mature plant.
H a ot a I lM i Plant> showing the web-like' appearance and commencement of the tubes. Fie. 6. The
arachnoid filaments of a very young plant (before the commencement of the tubes is visible). Fie. 7 Substance
ot the panetes or walls of the mature tubes, with the s p o r u l e s all from figure 3. much magnified '
In a botanical excursion which Mr. Greville made in the vicinity of Edinburgh, with the view of searching for
Jfungi to illustrate his valuable publication on that tribe, he was so fortunate as to meet with the subject of the
E n S f 1 r ’ T T # .df caJf? ,sl.,cks “"d. ■" a wood ot Braid Hermitage, where, extending from the
underside of a dead branch to which it was originally attached, it spread itself over the moss and1 grass which were
sfilrShiti . f pfrars’ “ §M “ we can judge from the imperfect figures and descriptions of this genus; to be a
species hitherto but imperfectly known to authors. But even if this claim to our notice he not admitted, there is so ■ M T T I,lsn‘lr ,e 0pm“tu“ u structure, as pointed out to me by Mr. Greville,“ that I am anxious to call
■ 1 r’e attention of Botanists, in the hope that it may lead to a more intimate knowledge of the internal organs
zation of these plants; and this I shall do in that gentleman’s own words •— . •. 6
“ The first appearance of this vegetable is in the form of a most delicate ochreous brown web, finer even in tex
H B R B I ° [ 'ke spider, abd of so delicate a nature that the slightest touch is sufficient to injure it in its recent
TT- . web- which,hasthe strongest resemblance to a minute Conferva, becomes In the course of a few days
darker in the centre, and, gradually condensing in its substance, assumes a pulverulent aspect: its surface then 'is
f L ' ° be S H U P“ ted. tbe distance between the pits being extremely unequal: they approximate however by
S ? t w . i l,b0 ■ ”me Saving deeper they change into po/es or tubes; whe^the plant bffng per-
h B B m to ,ts “ “ i™ “ of density. If, in this state, the tubes be carefully broken down under i high
I H I W die, are found to consist of a condensed mass of slender filaments, similar in every respect
to those which form the plant in its young state, and intermixed with a profusion of sporules 1
be K I M ‘-he M ‘.hey are sem 80 exact|y t0 nesemble a Conferva, that any botanist mivht
belonging to that genus. They are either jointed, or contain dark bodies
t b s b iin Jf kf" fo1 J°lnts. and. are uttenuated at their extremity. No sporules are perceived until the
I ' • ’ T " th<iy oppea1' m S"»1 uhundance, even before the tubes have attained to their full size
« 3 m K I H conjecture to be an improbable one, that the sporules are contained within these fila-
in fiil.ru lh f ™ FS' lb? latter are apparently somewhat disorganized, easily broken, and more colourless than the filr a e n ? “ “ 'f th“ r contents had escaped : besides’ the 8P“™les never exceed in size the diameter of
d u S hH S remPim‘m "f Bolton (Boletm.Craptarum of Bullmrdj'iias-.Mme affinity with the present indivi
oft l ' S ' r 5 afe.desaijbed as exceedingly minute, scarcely visible to the naked eye,- and no notice is taken
0f growth lentose orl8ln of the plant, although the former - author appears-to have seen it in all its various stages
For the beautiful drawing here engraved,
Mr. Greville. well as for the above details, I am indebted to the kindness of