white, and _melas_, black.

The pileus is two to four inches broad, fleshy, somewhat fragile,
irregularly shaped, silky, sooty-black; flesh soft, reddish when broken.

The pores are rather large, unequal, ashy or whitish, becoming black
when drying.

The stem is one to three inches long, stout, unequal, somewhat
tomentose, sooty-black, becoming black internally. The pileus and stem
become black in places.

The spores are cylindric-fusoid, pale-brown, 10-12x4-5u.

They are usually found in pine woods. The caps are often deformed and
are easily broken. The pores resemble those of a Boletus. The plant is
quite widely distributed. The one in Figure 322 was found in
Massachusetts by Mrs. Blackford, and I photographed it after it was
partially dry. It is probably the same as P. griseus, P.

_Polyporus Berkeleyi. Fr._

BERKELEY'S POLYPORUS. EDIBLE.

The pileoli are fleshy, tough, becoming hard and corky, many times
imbricated, sometimes growing very large, with many in a head;
subzonate, finally tomentose; the plant very much branched, alutaceous.

The stem is short or entirely wanting, arising from a long and thick
caudex.

The pore surface is very large, the pores are large and irregular,
angular, pale-yellowish.

I have seen some very large specimens of this species. The natural size
of the specimen in Figure 323 is two and one-fourth feet across. When
young it is edible, but not equal to P. sulphureus. It is found growing
on the ground near trees and stumps, and is a widely distributed plant.

[Illustration: Figure 323.--Polyporus Berkeleyi. One-fifth natural
size.]

[Illustration: _Photo by C. G. Lloyd._

Plate XLV. Figure 324.--Polyporus Berkeleyi.

Reduced. Natural size being 2.5 feet across.]

_Polyporus giganteus. Fr._

THE GIANT POLYPORUS. EDIBLE.

Giganteus is from _gigas_, a giant. The pileoli are very numerous,
imbricated, fleshy, tough, somewhat coriaceous, flaccid, somewhat zoned;
color a grayish-brown in young specimens, the deep cream pore surfaces
tipping the pileoli, rendering it a very attractive plant; this
cream-color is quickly changed to black or deep-brown by touching it.

The pores are minute, shallow, round, pallid, at length torn.

The stem is branched, connate from a common tuber.

This is a large and certainly a very attractive plant, being very often
two to three feet across. When young and tender it is edible. Found
growing on decayed stumps and roots, it is somew