Lloyd Mycological Writings V4.pdf - MykoWeb

FUSCUS. CONTEXT BROWN.
phae deeply colored. Subhymenial layer hyaline,
cellular. Setae
rare, with swollen bases, projecting 12-16 mic. Spores globose, hyaline,
5-6 mic., smooth.
Fomes igniarius in its type form grows common on the willow
in Sweden, but is found on various frondose wroods. In the United
States it occurs often on ash. On the willow it often takes a resupinate
form. It is more common in northern localities. There has
always been confusion in Europe in regard to the identity of Fomes
igniarius. Fries and Persoon were in accord, as shown by their
specimens. Berkeley, however, never had clear ideas in regard to it.
In early American work he referred Fomes rimosus to Fomes igniarius,
and in England his Fomes igniarius was always Fomes pomaceus, a
tradition that persists in England to the present day. As to the
French, they have never had it right apparently, and of the four
specimens I found so labeled at Paris all were Fomes robustus, and
all specimens labeled Fomes igniarius wr ere the form Fomes nigricans.
Boudier's figure of Fomes nigricans is typically Fomes igniarius for me.
ILLUSTRATIONS. Boudier, t. 155 (as Fomes nigricans); Sowerby t. 132 (rather light color);
Bolton's and Bulliard's figures are both too doubtful to quote).
SPECIMENS. Many from Europe and United States. From foreign countries, I have only
one doubtful collection, from Australia.
Compare Haematoxyli, hyperboreus, inaequalis, Novae-Angliae, Pandani.
FOMES NIGRICANS. With the same context color, spores, setae,
it is in
reality the same plant as Fomes igniarius, differing only in its host (usually birch),
its smoother black crust, and the setae, which usually are more abundant. At the
best, it is only a form with a smoother crust. It is frequent in Europe and in America
is far more common than the type form.
Much confusion exists as to the plant meant under this name, whether a black
form of Fomes igniarius or a black form of Fomes fomentarius. It seems that Fries
confused them. His original description and citation seem to apply to Fomes
fomentarius (black form), and in this sense is taken by Bresadola. His specimens,
however, both at Upsala and Kew, are the black forms of Fomes igniarius, as above.
SPECIMENS. I have a number so labeled, but it is difficult to draw a line between the type
forms and the variety. I have one from S. Kawamura, Japan.
FOMES ROBURNEUS. For me, this also is a form of Fomes igniarius, or
rather of Fomes nigricans. It is exactly the same, excepting there is a slight resinous
exudation on the crust and the setae are quite abundant. The pore mouths are
strongly silvery, glancing. Until I unearthed the type at Kew, the identity of
Fomes roburneus was entirely unknown to recent European authors. Little can be
decided from Fries' writings. His Icones 184 has no resemblance whatever to his
specimens, and I believe it represents Fomes roseus.
Fomes roburneus, in the sense of Fries' specimen, is a slightly laccate form of
Fomes nigricans, and is very rare in Europe, and, to my knowledge, does not occur
in America. The name must not be confused with Fomes robustus, a frequent
plant in Europe.
ILLUSTRATIONS. None published. Those cited in Saccardo are both errors. Fries Icones
184, notwithstanding it is from Fries, does not represent his specimen at all, and Brefeld 8, t. 9-11, is
an excellent illustration of Fomes annosus, with not even the slightest suggestion of Fomes roburneus.
Others cited are copies of these errors.
SPECIMENS. I have only one typical, viz., from Ant. Weidmann, Bohemia.
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