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MOXOGRAPII GF THE LABOULDEXIACE.E. 190 
and the modifications \Yliicli they present arc po singular that the members of tho 
group may well rank among the most remarkable of vegetable productions. 
It is not to their variety and eccentricity of Ibnii, however, that ihey owe (lieir 
special claim to interest and miportance among plants in general and fiuigi in parti(.'u- 
lar; but to the fiict that, associated "with their comparatively hlmph' vegetativo 
development, they present sexual phenomena the complicated nature of which would 
indicate that they occupy a position among the highest members of their class. It is 
■ 
hardly necessary to remark that any fresh evidence in this connection h;is a ppeciul 
interest at the present time; since, as a result of the views so strenuously maiutainiM] 
by Professor Brefeld and his school, the existence of sexuality of any ty|u> among the 
higher fungi, has become, to say the least, discredited by n majority of the mycologists 
f the nresent dav. If we are to admit nevertheless, as seems quite unavoidable, 
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that the Laboulbeniacea3 arc fungi, and also, as seems equally unavoidable, tliaf tlicy 
are ascomycetous fungi in the strict sense of the term, it must also l)e admitted that 
they demonstrate the sexual origin of the ascus beyond any reasonal)le doubt. How- 
ever views may differ as to the true phyllogeny of the group as a whole, the most do- 
vout disciple of the so-called " school " of Dc Bary could hardly have devised a series 
of forms better adapted than the present family to confirm his general conclusions. 
Despite this fact, one looks, as a rule, in vain for even a reference to the Lab()nll>eniacea3 
in the host of text-books which have made their appearance within the past few years, 
while in the works of Professor Brefeld, so far as I have been able to ascertain, they 
are not even mentioned by name. 
Further discussion of these matters may well be deferred, however, until the 
morphology of the more important genera has been considered, and with this brief 
note and general afiirmation of my own views in regard to the vexed question of sex- 
uality among the ascomycetes, we may turn at once to consider the funily in detail. 
Historical. In revicwmg the literature reiaung 
Laboulben 
be noted that, although the list of titles is not a short one, a considerable numb 
reference either to brief notes or to articles which deal at second 
published data, while the original contribution 
few. A complete 
f references, so far as I have been able to obtain them, will be found append 
but in briefly tracing the history of the family in so far as its liternture is concerned, 
1 shall omit reference to such articles as are not in the nature ( 
f contributions to a 
knowdedge of the group. 
Thislnowledge may be said to have originated with the publication by Bobin of 
