Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 2).djvu/645

named by him as Agaricus ostreatus. Agaricus ostreatus often does grow on jack fruit-tree. But on examining genuine specimens of what is usually gathered and sold and used under the name of Phanasumba, it appears to be a Polyporus and not an Agaricus. (See Badham's Esculent Fungi, Plate X, and Mrs. Hassey's Illustrations of British Mycology XIX. Plate, Second Series). Dr. Sakharam Arjun, following old descriptions, also calls the fungus Agaricus ostreatus.

{{smaller|But a figuie of the Polyporus is given in Batsch's Elenchus Fungoram, Plate xli, page 114, Continuatio Secunda. It is called Boletus ' Niteus ' or Grocatus. It appears a proper description of thanasamba has not yet appeared. I exhibit several specimens, a general description of which will appear in my work on the Bombay Fungi, which I hope will be published at no distant date.* As this variety of Polyporus mainly derives its name from its habitat— growing on Phanas or Jack tree -I have named it Boletus Nit<us Artocarpalis. "

Vern. : — Karom-pallagam (Tarn., meaning a black medicinal substance).

Habitat : — Southern India.

These fungoid bodies are like small tubers having a black, finely- wrinkled surface, and the inside is white and marked with veins, and a microscopic section shows the division of the tissue into areolæ similar to that exhibited by hyprogæous fungi. In a fresh state they have a waxy consistence, but when dry they are hard and homy. Some fresh slices immersed in glycerine for several weeks showed no crystalline or crystalloid formations, and starch was entirely absent.

Uses : — They are much esteemed by native doctors for various complaints, and they are regarded as diuretic. (Pharmacogr. Ind, III. 629.)

The Journal of the Board of Agriculture for July 1917 concludes an important article on the Nutritive Value of Edible Fungi as follows : —

Summarising the results obtained from the analysis of various edible fungi, and comparing them with other foods, it is obvious that mushrooms can in no sense be regarded as substitutes for flesh-forming foods, such as meat. It may be noted that the common mushroom (Agaricus campestris) is richest in proteid substances of all the species examined. Even so, however, its proteid content is no higher than that of cabbage or potatoes, and in total

• Alas ! this hope of the writer was not realised.— B, D. B,