Fistulina, a genus of Hymenomycete fungi allied to Boletus (q.v.), family Polyporei; the under surface (hymenium) at first covered with minute warts, which ultimately form separate tubes. F. hepatica is common in Britain and throughout Europe on old oak, walnut, and chestnut trees; it occurs also on ash and beech. It is semicircular, of very regular outline, with a lateral stem, or none; its colour red; its substance fibrous and fleshy, much resembling beet-root. When old and beginning to decay, it looks like a mass of liver. It sometimes attains a great size. Mr Berkeley mentions one which grew on an ash pollard, and weighed nearly thirty pounds. This fungus, while young, is much esteemed in some parts of Europe as an esculent; whilst there is almost no possibility of confounding it with any dangerous fungus. Its taste resembles that of the common mushroom, but is rather more acid. 'When grilled, it is scarcely to be distinguished from broiled meat.' It furnishes itself with abundance of sauce.