British Fungus Flora

Abstract

IT was in 1836 that Berkeley published his “British I Fungi” as a part of Hooker's “British Flora,” and for about a quarter of a century this was the standard work. In 186o appeared Berkeley's “Outlines of British Fungology,” which from the first was disappointing, inasmuch as it was only a barren catalogue for all except the large and conspicuous species; and even the latter were so compressed in description, by the exigencies of confining the book within narrow and definite limits, that it did not wholly supersede the use of the old “British Fungi.” In 1871 an effort was made to repair the error by the publication of Cooke's “Handbook of British Fungi,” which brought the whole subject up to date, and gave a new impetus to British mycology. On account of the considerable acquisition of species, new to the British flora, it was deemed fitting in 1871 to produce a new work which should include these additions, and then Stevenson's “British Fungi” appeared. This new work only included the “Hymenomycetes,” or, in effect, part of the first volume of Cooke's “Handbook,” leaving all the rest untouched. In order to remedy this deficiency in part, Cooke's “Myxomycetes” was issued in 1877, and Phillips' “Manual of British Discomycetes” in 1887. Meanwhile a second edition of a portion of Cooke's “Handbook” was being issued as a supplement to “Grevillea,” but confined exclusively to the Agaricini. With the exception of Plowright's “British Uredineæ” published in 1889, all the rest of the orders contained in the “Handbook” remained as they were in 1871. The unrevised portions included the Pyrenomycetes, or Sphæriaceous fungi; the Sphœropsideœ, or imperfect Pyrenomycetes; and the Hyphomycetes, or moulds. Hence the announcement of a complete work which should include all the British fungi, of whatever denomination, brought up to date, did not come as a surprise.

British Fungus-Flora, a Classified Text-Book of Mycology.

By George Massee. In 3 vols. Vol. I. (London and New York: George Bell and Sons, 1892.)