CHAPTER LV. 



CLASSIFICATION OF THE FAMILIES SACCHAROMY- 

 CETACE^E AND SCHIZOSACCHAROMYCETACE^E. 



277. Introduction. Division of the Family, 

 Saeeharomyeetaeeae. 



THE fungi to be classified in the present chapter comprise two 

 families, the Saccharomycetacece and the Scldzosaccharomycetacece, 

 though they were formerly grouped together as a single family 

 under the former title. According to the principles of classification 

 established for the Saccharomycetacece by E. C. HANSEN (XLIX.) 

 in 1904, however, the Schizosaccharomycetacece form a separate 

 family, and are therefore dealt with by themselves later 

 on( 28I). 1 



As already explained on pp. 100, 101, vol. ii., the Saccharo- 

 mycetacece, which form the subject of 277-280, belong to the 

 Ascomycetes class, of which they constitute the lowest family. On 

 the other hand, the position of the Schizosaccharomycetacece in the 

 botanical system cannot yet be definitely fixed. They appear to 

 form an intermediate link between the Ascomycetes and the 

 Schizomycetes ; but, for practical reasons, they are ranged in this 

 chapter beside the Saccharomycetacece. 



Before proceeding to a systematic description of the species 

 belonging to the two families in question,, we will glance briefly 

 at the earlier attempts at classification, and then state the 

 principles which have been utilised in the present rearrangement. 



It is difficult to find in any other department of botany greater 

 confusion than existed in the classification of the Saccharomycetes, 

 chiefly on account of the fact that so many workers unacquainted 

 with botany have been engaged in the investigation of fermenta- 

 tive organisms. 



The first worker to establish endosporulation as the charac- 

 teristic feature of the genus Saccharomyces was Reess (see p. 108, 



i On p. 101, vol. ii., the species belonging to these two families were 

 treated as one family, according to the state of knowledge at the time (1901), 

 and for the ^ame reason only three genera, Monospora, Saccharomyces and 

 Schizosaccharomyccs were mentioned. The classification is now amended in 

 the light of recent research, and hence the divergence from the statements 

 made on the pages mentioned. 



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