The North American Sordariaceae 
By DAVID GRIFFITHS 
INTRODUCTION 
The work upon which this paper is based was begun in the year 
1898; but actual preparation for a monograph of the group was 
not started until early in the following year. That there was need 
for more or less exhaustive study of the American species of the 
Sordariaceae must have been evident to any one in the least 
acquainted with our poorly defined forms. It was not, however, 
the necessities of the case nor the desire to contribute to botanical 
knowledge that actuated the undertaking. The stimulus arose 
from a desire to know something about the life-history, the method 
of development, and the appearance and behavior in /fe of a repre- 
sentative group of the Sphaeriales. How to secure and manipulate 
the plants successfully for the purpose of obtaining the desired in- 
formation was a question not easily decided. The investigations 
of DeBary, Zopf, and Woronin gave a good basis for work, but 
they assisted but little so far as the securing and the treating of 
material was concerned. Finally, moist chamber cultures of horse 
and cow manure collected in former years in the Northwest 
together with similar material from Ft. Lee, New Jersey, settled 
two questions : (1) That with the coöperation of collectors, plenty 
of material could be secured ; and (2) That even the preparation 
of a catalogue of our species would necessitate the employment 
of cultural methods in order that the more delicate ones might 
not escape attention. Acting on these two suggestions, friends and 
botanists throughout the country were besieged for material to be 
used in cultures, The success met with is attested to by the 
following list of contributors whose jovial prompt responses speak 
volumes for the whole-hearted generosity of American botan- 
ists. Early in June 1899, letters, reading substantially as follows, 
were addressed to about twelve individuals. Others were asked 
. to contribute material later : 
emoirs Torrey Botanical Club, Volume XI. 
(1) 
