44 British Fungi. 



by Cooke* generally liolds good. '''When tlie 

 majority of the species of a genus are of a fleshy con- 

 sistence, it may generally be concluded that that 

 genus belongs to a northern region, even if it should 

 have some representatives in lands which enjoy more 

 sunshine. Thus the Ilydna are the principal orna- 

 ments of northern forests, vs'here they attain so 

 luxuriant a growth and beauty that every other 

 country must yield the palm to Sweden in respect to 

 them. In an allied genus, that of Irpex, the texture 

 assumes a coriaceous consistence, and we find its 

 species to be more especially inhabitants of warm 

 climates.^' In the Gastromycetes, the most highly 

 differentiated genera are characteristic of tropical 

 regions, this is more especially true of the Phalloide^, 

 of which group we have only four European species, 

 and of these three are met with in Britain. The 

 Lycoperdess are most abundant in cool regions. The 

 species of Lycoperdon are widely distributed, one 

 common British species, Lycoperdon pusillum, has the 

 following known range : Europe, North America, 

 South America, Tropical and South Africa, Lower 

 Pegu, East Nepal, Java, Ceylon, China, Bonin Islands, 

 Australia, New Zealand. Too little attention has 

 been paid by travellers to the collection of minute 

 fungi to enable any estimate of their distribution being 

 given, nevertheless sufficient is known to show that all 

 the families are represented in every part of the world. 

 It is a fact well known to field mycologists that the 

 relative abundance of species or individuals during a 

 given season depends on a combination of circumstances 

 * " Fungi, their Nature, Influences, and uses," p. 274. 



