

Evolution of the Basidiomycetes. 



By George Massee. 



(Bead November idtJi, 1897.) 



The following resume of a talk on the subject embodied in the 

 above title will, I fear, convey but a very imperfect idea of 

 the substance of an originally imperfect discourse ; which, if it 

 contained anything of interest, was dependent on a series of 

 illustrations which unfortunately cannot be reproduced. 



The fungi as a group, in its highest stage of differentiation, 

 must be considered as comparatively modern. On the other 

 hand, its oldest members are undoubtedly even geologically ancient. 

 Fungi almost if not quite indistinguishable from species living 

 at the present day, have been found in fragments of Leindodendron 

 from the coal measures, and undoubted fungi are known from 

 even older geological formations. These fungi, however, belong 

 to the pioneers of the fungal group, which, from the present 

 standpoint of science, is considered as being derived from the 

 Algae. The oldest forms of fungi are truly aquatic, and differ 

 mainly from certain Algae, as Vaucheria, etc., in being destitute 

 of the green colouring-matter called chlorophyll. Now this 

 deprivation necessitated the presence of organic food, hence the 

 earliest known fungi — or algae deprived of chlorophyll — are 

 met with as sap^'oi^hytes, living on dead organic matter, or as 

 parasites, deriving food from living organisms. The latter section, 

 the most abundant in early times, were parasitic in the tissues 

 of various algse and other aquatic plants and animals. Gradually 

 these parasites and saprophytes forsook their primordial home, 

 and adapted themselves to a life on dry land. Up to this period 

 there was but little morphological differentiation between the 

 newly evolved group and its algal ancestors, save in the matter 

 of chlorophyll, already alluded to; but on taking possession of 

 the dry land as their future abode, a new morphological factor 



JouRN. Q. M. C., Series II., No. 42. 1 



