FUNGI. 
no one is deserving of higher praise than M. Bulliard, | Fungi. 
ceptacle of germs, each of which is ready to expand in- 
to vegetable or animal forms, upon the occurrence of 
circumstances favourable for its developement. In the 
early of the earth’s existence, the germs of a 
few zoophytes' only were unfolded, afterwards those 
of the testaceous mollusca expanded, and finally those 
ofthe mammiferous animals, In the course of these 
.changes, one generation succeeded another,» but the 
generation which followed was not the unaltered 
geny of the preceding. The zoophytes of the first 
riod differ from those of the last ; no living proofs of 
ir’ existence remain, their memorials only are to be 
found imbedded in the solid rocks. It has sa 
‘to plants as to animals. At first the germs of the ‘fili- 
‘ces and the —— expanded into leaves; and finally 
«the surface of the became covered with the sta- 
imeniferous vegetables. But the ferns of the first period 
no longer exist;.the circumstances which favoured their 
‘giowtlt aré-nd more; and their place is occupied. by 
other ferns, the germs of which have expanded un- 
der a new atrangement. In this survey, the mind is 
astonished when it; considers the infinite number. of 
those germs, prevented by the abseiice of favourable 
eee renee Nemvereere tions maturity. Here 
the followers of Harvey are bewildered ; and here the 
theory of equivocal generation, which s itself 
to the inhabitants of the banks of: the Nile, and to 
‘which Aristotle gave form and currency, seems calcu- 
‘lated to soothe a reflecting and philosophical: mind. 
The history of the earth countenances such a: theory, 
cand the phenomena of the mineral, kingdom ‘yields it 
many powerful analogies, we had almost said direct 
‘proofs. It does not cotisider. ther 2 are »of plants 
-as the result of chance, any more than philosophers do 
-the production of lightning; of ‘rain, or of snow. All 
Peaby teoeiiithoes laws which Omnipotence has imposed 
.on the material and intellectual world. - 
Those grains which are’ considered as the seeds of 
. yoms, are by ‘some su = wrist merely — 
-or germs. » This opinion, which was’ first proposed by 
Gaertner, tench dinde thatciimic maintained by many able 
botanists, is considered as supported by the analogy of 
the ytes. » To us this seems to be a mere dispute 
_about words. .It is unwarrantable to expect a close re- 
~semblance ‘between the seeds of mushrooms and the 
_ seeds of stameniferous plants when they differ so wide- 
eA in their general form. The seeds of the former may, 
-for aught we know, resemble the parent plant in mi- 
-niature ; and by the simple enlargement of their parts, 
without the production of any new organs, arrive at 
maturity. 1 
amine this point. 
__ If the examination of the mode of growth of the 
-fangi be involved in such obscurity, in what condition 
may we expect.to find their systematic classification? 
In the system of Linnzus, they constitute the last or- 
4 
der of the class Cryptogamia ; ‘and were distributed by 
him into the following genera: Agaricus, Boletus, 
Hydnum, Phallus, Clathrus, Helvella, Peziza, Clavaria, 
_ Lycoperdon,and Mucor. Since his days, the species have 
been investi with t care, and many curious 
facts in their hi have been ascertained ; yet be 
have not obtained botanists that attention to whi 
they seem entitled, on account of the curious forms 
“whieh they exhibit, the substances which enter into 
their composition, and the economical uses to which 
they have been applied. In this department of botany, 
VOL. X. PARTI, 
_ 
ut experiments are still wanting to deter- - 
of 
41 
This author has contributed, more perhaps than any. 
other, to the illustration of this intricate tribe, in his 
work entitled, Champignons de la France. This work, 
besides containing accurate descriptions of the different 
fungi of France, exhibits at the same time faithful de« 
lineations of their form. _In the same rank we must 
place the British Fungi of Mr Sowerby, the most splen- 
did botanical publication which has appeared, in refe- 
rence to our native plants,. But here we must observe, 
that although the figures are admirable, the accompa~ 
nying descriptions are extremely imperfect. This de- 
ficiency, however, we trust, will soon be amply supplied 
by the learned President of the Linnean Society, in the 
fourth volume of that classical work, the Flora Britan« 
nica, which for the space of ten years has been anxious~ 
ly wished for by the British botanist. But itis to Per 
soon that the world is indebted for the. mest judicious 
and systematic arrangement. of the Fungi. > It, was ne« 
cessary to take a comprehensive view of this tribe of 
lants as a.whole, to overlook the old genera, and. to 
aa anew the various species into natural groups or 
enera, characterised by permanent differences in habit, 
‘orm, and structure, . This task Persoon has ina great 
measure accomplished, and has published the result of 
his labours, in, two works entitled, Z'entamen Disposi-~ 
tionis Methodice Fungorum, and Observationes Mycolo- 
ice. 
: In the Natural Method of Jussieu, the Sungi form 
one of the orders of the acotyledonous. division of 
plants. They,do not admit of generic arrangement:ac- 
cording to the parts of fructification, so conveniently as 
the gees gates plants, yet still the position of the 
seed-vessel furnishes the means of the more general 
classification, } while) their form, colour, and consistence, 
aid us in the discrimination of the species. By Per- 
soon they are divided into two great tribes, according 
as the capsule is situated on the outside or in the inte~ 
rior of the'plant. by : 
The Gymnocanpr have their capsules or seed-vessels 
situated on the external surface.’ In form as well as in 
structure, the plants of this tribe present very remark- 
able differences, and even the parts destined for the 
production of the seed, exhibit very various appear- 
ances, These differences, however, are: not without 
their use, as they enable us to combine the various ge- 
nera under different families, and thus assist the stu- 
dent, by diminishing the labour of investigation. This 
tribe is accordingly divided into five families, and con- 
tains twenty-one genera. 
The Anarocarpt have the capsule placed internally ; 
and in some it is contained in a receptacle which is clo- 
sed on all sides, at least in the young stages of the 
plant. To this receptacle Persoon has given the name 
peridium, This tribe is. divided into four families, 
and includes twenty-five genera. 
We now propose to consider more minutely these 
various genera, and to explain the characters upon 
which their existence depends. That their number will 
surprise the Linnean student accustomed to. refer to 
Hudson, Withering, and Lightfoot, we are prepared to 
expect ; but we request his attention to the following 
circumstances. Accurate observers of nature are be- 
come numerous; botanists are now in possession of more 
powerful instruments, and better ribthieds of analysis ; 
and their studies are greatly facilitated by accurate re- 
presentations. Hence it is that new species are daily 
brought to light; the history of old species elucidated ; 
E 
