I 4 TEXT-BOOK OF FUNGI 



a few closely allied host-plants, such hosts not being inter- 

 changeable between the different biologic forms. This 

 discovery, due to the investigation of Eriksson, is of 

 primary importance in its bearing on plant diseases due 

 to fungi. 



Cooke has furnished us with the most detailed account 

 respecting the geographical distribution of fungi. 



The value of the stupendous work entitled Sylloge 

 Fungorum, compiled by Saccardo, cannot be overesti- 

 mated. It contains a diagnosis of every known species, 

 accompanied by references to literature, figures, etc., also 

 habitat, hosts on which the fungus is parasitic, and 

 geographical distribution. The somewhat uneven nature 

 of the work is in no sense due to the compiler, whose 

 primary object was to collect into one work all original 

 diagnoses, some of which are admittedly too brief and 

 inexact to enable any one to recognise the fungus intended. 

 In numerous instances, however, Saccardo has given 

 emended or modern descriptions of species described by 

 the pioneers of mycology. Eighteen volumes have already 

 appeared, and supplementary volumes are still issued as 

 occasion demands, containing all new species described 

 up to date. 



Up to the present this work contains descriptions of 

 just over 55,000 species, but it is certain that this far 

 exceeds the actual number of distinct species, and as the 

 work of monographing the various families proceeds it will 

 be found that half the above number will be much nearer 

 the correct estimate. Saccardo has kept up all the form- 

 genera as entities, Aeddium, Uredo, Peridermium, etc., 

 in addition to the myriads of forms included under 

 the Hyphomycetes, Melanconieae, etc., all of which are 



