CURRENT LITERATURE 



BOOK REVIEWS 



Chemistry of the higher fungi 



Investigations on the chemistry of fungi began about a century ago, and have 

 been prosecuted with various aims. Sometimes the endeavor has been to isolate 

 unknown substances, and especially poisonous or medicinal ones; sometimes to 

 ascertain the nutritive value of edible species; and sometimes to contribute to the 

 general knowledge of this group. Though the separate studies have been numer- 

 ous, hardly more than a beginning has yet been made, as shown by the fact that 

 out of the immense number of species, the chemistrj^ of only four is known with 

 even approximate completeness. 



Zellner, who himself has contributed much to the subject, has collated the 

 present data In a monograph of some 250 pages.^ He excludes from his considera- 

 tion, by the adjective "higher," the bacteria, molds, and yeasts, recognizing that 

 this is nothing more than a convenient discrimination. The matter is not arranged 

 by species or groups of fungi, but by groups of substances, such as mineral con- 

 stituents, fats, alcohols, amino-acids, tannins, coloring matters, toxins, etc. The 

 largest sections are those which treat of fats, bases, carbohydrates, and en- 

 zymes. To compensate for the disadvantages of this mode of presentation, the 

 author furnishes a complete index of the names of species mentioned, which unfor- 

 tunately he has separated from the index of substances mentioned. While an 

 index is a good thing, two are never better than one. 



In the way of generglizations the author gathers together, at the close of his 

 volume, the information in regard to the four species, whose composition has 

 been fairly determined. It may be interesting to know that these are Amanita 

 muscana L., Polyporus officinalis Fr., Claviceps purpurea Tul., and AelhaUunt 

 septuzm L. He also attempts to distinguish by their chemical characteristics 

 the following groups, whose composition is dependent upon the substratum- 

 (I) saprophytes (Uving in humus), (2) coprophytes, (3) wood dwellers, partly 

 saprophytic, partly parasitic, (4) plant parasites, (5) animal parasites. 



_ regarding the higher fungi as a whole, Zellner notes these chemical pecuU- 

 anties: the cell membrane consists chiefly of chitin, or an allied substance, fungw, 

 rue cellulose and true wood material never having been found in fun^; they 

 likewise contain no starch, but dextrin-like carbohydrates or glycogen are widely 

 distributed, though in variable amounts; the fats are mostly rich b free fatt>' acids, 

 ^^^^f^^^^ith bodies of the ergosterin group and mostly also lecithins; basic 



' Zellnes, J., Chemie der hoheren Pike. 8vo. pp.vi + 2S7. Leipzig: Wilbeto 



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