10 INTRODUCTION 



lariaceae, Lycoperdaceae, Phallaceae, Clathraceae, Pezizaceae, and per- 

 haps other famihes. Agaricum Fungus corresponds practically to the 

 laterally attached Polyporaceae, especially Fomes. Tuhera, with 2 species, 

 was applied to truffles (Tuber) and other subterranean firm fungi. 



Tournefort (1656-1708) is the botanist who, more than any other, 

 brought to general acceptance the concept of the genus as the classifi- 

 catory category next above the species. He still maintained the cumber- 

 some method of naming a species with the genus name followed by a 

 descriptive phrase, now universally abandoned for the binomial manner 

 of writing a name which was popularized by Linnaeus. Six genera of fungi 

 and one of lichens were recognized by Tournefort in his "Elemens de 

 Botanique" in 1694. The generic names used were adopted from his 

 predecessors. Fungus corresponds to all centrally stipitate Agaricaceae, 

 Boletaceae, and Polyporaceae. Boletus includes Morchella, Clathrus, and 

 Phallus. Agaricus was applied to fungi attached laterally to trees, logs, 

 etc., such as various Polyporaceae, Auricularia, etc. Lycoperdon included 

 the Lycoperdaceae and also the larger rounded Mycetozoa. Coralloides 

 included various branched fungi, among others the branching species of 

 Clavaria. Tuhera was used as by Bauhin. 



Dillenius (1687-1747) added a good many species and some new 

 genera. He also changed the names of some groups from those used by 

 Tournefort or, retaining the name, changed its application. Thus all 

 centrally stipitate Agaricaceae were placed in the genus Amanita. Boletus 

 was entirely changed and made to include the present Boletaceae and 

 centrally stipitate Polyporaceae. Morchella and Phallus were introduced 

 to take up the species included in Tournefort's Boletus. Bovista was substi- 

 tuted for Lycoperdon and Fungoides for Coralloides. For cup- or saucer- 

 shaped fungi Dillenius used the name Peziza. Mention must be made of 

 Sebastien Vaillant (1669-1722) whose book "Botanicon Parisiense" in 

 1727 gave illustrations of fungi and other plants whose accuracy and 

 beauty were scarcely equalled for over a century. He listed all genera 

 alphabetically, regardless of their real relationship, hence the fungi are 

 scattered throughout the work. Agaricus and Boletus are used as they 

 were by Tournefort. Most of the Agaricaceae are included in the genus 

 Fungus which is however a very heterogeneous assemblage of organisms. 

 Fungoides is in part Peziza, and Corallofungus includes some of the species 

 of Clavaria. Aside from the beautiful illustrations and the descriptions, 

 Vaillant added little to mycology. 



The foremost student of fungi before the time of Linnaeus was the 

 Italian botanist Pier' Antonio MicheH (1679-1737). He was apparently 

 the first student of these organisms to use the microscope on them, crude 

 as was his instrument. His great work "Nova Plantarum Genera" was 

 completed by 1719 but, for lack of funds, the first part only was pub- 



