Preface 



IN the "Genera of Fungi" published in 1909, 2,909 generic names were 

 included; the present volume contains more than 5,000 names. The 

 great number of genera published since the first edition and their 

 inaccessibility to many students have made it desirable to bring the treat- 

 ment up to date. The last issue of Saccardo's "Sylloge Fungorum," 

 volume 24, includes only genera published previous to 1919 and 1920, 

 while we have attempted in addition to account for all genera proposed 

 since that time. This has been rendered possible largely by the use of the 

 card index of new genera of fungi maintained by the Bureau of Plant 

 Industry, and also by the list of new genera compiled by Plunkett, Young 

 and Ryan. 



Illustrations are given of the type or other representative species of 

 approximately 700 genera, and these comprise some 1800 figures. Many 

 are original, having been made from typical specimens of the species 

 illustrated. The others have been copied or adapted from standard works, 

 largely from the parts of Engler & Prantl's "Pflanzenfamilien" that treat 

 of the fungi. The bibliography of the most important literature on system- 

 atic mycology is appended, and the glossary has been enlarged and 

 improved. 



In contrast with the first edition, the Myxomyccfcs, Bacteria and 

 Myxobactcria have been omitted. The Myxomycctcs, although regarded 

 as belonging to the animal kingdom, are studied by mycologists and pre- 

 served in collections of fungi. The genera of this group are, however, 

 very fully and satisfactorily treated by Miss G. Lister in her monograph, 

 while the works of Macbride and Massee are also available to students. 

 The bacteria are largely studied by specialists other than mycologists and 

 the so-called genera are founded in many cases upon physiological, patho- 

 logical or cultural characters, which it is not convenient, even when possible, 

 to handle in a satisfactory manner in a Key. 



The determination of the name of a plant is the first thing necessary 

 in its study or in the investigation of any problem connected with it. In 

 the case of fungi, the great number of genera, the scattered descriptions 

 and their inaccessibility, especially those published since 1920 and which 

 have not appeared in the "Sylloge Fungorum," make it desirable to bring 

 together all the known genera in a form in which tentative identifications 

 at least can be made, and the place of publication cited so that detailed 

 descriptions may be found. Only those who have spent their lives in the 

 study of fungi and have become familiar with the life-histories and mor- 

 phology of members of the various groups, can have any adequate con- 



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