An Account of a New Species of Fungus, by John Martyn, F. R. S. Prof. Bot. Cantab. Communicated in a Letter to the President

V. An Account of a new Species of Fungus, by John Martyn, F. R. S. Prof. Bot. Cantab. communicated in a Letter to the President. Read Jan. 24. In the latter Part of the Summer of the Year 1744, Mr. Ehret the Painter brought me a Fungus of a very extraordinary Shape and Size, which had been found growing on a Piece of the Trunk of an Elm, in a damp Cellar in the Hay-Market. The whole Plant was about two Feet in Height; and, at first Sight, seemed not very unlike the Horns of some Deer, being variously branched, and covered with a thick Down. It was of a spongeous Substance, and of a dusky-red Colour inclining to Black. The Tips of the smaller Branches were of a Cream-Colour. The larger Branches, or rather the Tops of the whole Plant, were expanded in Form of a Funnel, smooth on the concave, and full of Pores on the convex Side. The inner and lower Part of the Funnel was of the same Colour with the Stalk; the rest of it was of a Cream-Colour. I have not been able to find, that this Plant has been mentioned by any Author; and am persuaded, that it is a new Species; and, perhaps, the remarkable Branching of the Stalks may induce some to think it a new Genus. As the Funnel may be esteemed a Cap, and as this Cap is not lamellated, it will be a Boletus, according to the Method observed in the Third Edition of Ray's Synopsis. According to Micheli, Micheli, it seems to belong to the Genus of *Polyporus*. This Method, which I have long used in the Distribution of this Class, is expressed in the following synoptical Table, which, I think, comprehends all the Species hitherto known. **FUNGI sunt,** lamellati, \{ cauliferi; AMANITA. \{ sessiles; AGARICOIDES. porosi, \{ cauliferi; BOLETUS. \{ sessiles; BOLETOIDES. cancellati, aut scrobiculis excavati; \{ sex pila erumpentes; PHALLUS. \{ sex pila non erumpentes; MERULIUS. echinati; ERINACEUS. in pulverem abeuntes; LYCOPERDON. solidi, \{ cauliferi; CHANTERELLA. \{ sessiles, \{ calyciformes; PEZICA. \{ non calyciformes, \{ in longitudinem produci; DIGITELLUS. \{ horizontaliter prodeuntes; AGARICUS. subterranei; TUBER. According to this Method of mine, as well as that of the Editor of Ray's Synopsis, the Plant in Question will be a *Boletus*: And, as I do not think it necessary to constitute a new Genus, I have taken the Liberty to call it *BOLETUS caule ramoso; summitatibus concavis expansis; ramis minoribus in acutum mucronem desinentibus.* Vide Tab. II. Fig. 1.