P. al´bido-tomento´sus Cke. Mass.—albidus, white; tomentum, down. Pileus about ⅔ in. long, ½ in. broad, horizontal, sometimes imbricated, semi-circular, subcoriaceous, flexuous or regular, pale umber, densely clothed with a short, whitish, velvety down, which seems to be persistent, but thinner and shorter toward the shortly incurved margin. Stem lateral, very short, or entirely absent, and attached by a downy base. Gills radiating from the point of attachment; narrowed behind, lanceolate, honey-colored, margin entire, rigid, scarcely crowded, shorter ones intermixed. Spores subglobose, smooth, 5µ diameter.
On trunks and branches.
Pileus about 1 in. broad, often in imbricated tufts. It is doubtful whether this is not a distinct species from the type described by Fries. Cooke and Massee.
Panus albido-tomentosus is given by Cooke and Massee as a variety of Panus farinaceus. The writer decides to give it place as a species.
It has been sent to me by Mr. H.I. Miller, from Terre Haute, Ind., by Dr. E.L. Cushing, Albion, N.Y., Miss Madeleine Le Moyne, Washington, Pa. I have found it in West Virginia, New Jersey and many parts of Pennsylvania. It is plentiful in patches upon branches and boles of deciduous trees. Long, slow cooking makes it tender. It makes a luscious gravy after thirty minutes' stewing.
*** Stem absent, pileus resupinate or dimidiate.
P. betuli´nus Pk.—betula, birch. Pileus thin, suborbicular or dimidiate, nearly plane, glabrous, prolonged behind into a short stem, grayish-brown, darker or blackish toward the stem. Gills narrow, close, decurrent, whitish. Stem adorned with a slight tawny hairiness which is more fully developed toward the base. Spores minute, 4–5×1.5–2µ.
Decaying wood of birch. Newfoundland. October, Rev. A.C. Waghorne. Peck, Bull. Torrey Bot. Club, Vol. 23, No. 10.
Common in West Virginia mountains on birches, 1882; found at Eagle’s Mere, Pa., August, 1898. Quite plentiful on decaying birch trees, which abound there. Size from ½-1½ in. across.
Eaten raw it has a gummy quality and very pleasant nutty flavor. I did not have opportunity to cook it, but regard it as a species well worth trying.