432 THE JOURNAL OF BOTANY 
is made of the vast series of plants, and their classification is out- 
lined and explained. Under the first section, ai general me my 
of fungi, their relation to environment and to other, and their 
Physiology and Scpebaustiind at re fully ayaa "The anim gives 
a summary of the different results arrived at by various sr on 
cytology and sexuality, and of their somewhat se, view e 
accepts the discoveries that have been made by Harp = lashed 
Christman, and oo but reserves to a final dant er his « per- 
sonal views on phylogeny.” He there states that, according to his 
view, the oomycetous section of the eon with the well- 
marked oogonia and antheridia, are de d from some Vaucheria- 
like alga; that the zygote is but a modification of the same method 
of fertilization ; rr the conidial or aerial method of reproduction 
ppeared early as an ever to dry land conditions; and that the 
i ckahwane: en descended from the conidial form He holds that 
‘both the v vegetative a reproductive portions are built up from 
hyphe originating in the conidial condition of the Phycomycetes.” 
there is no question of sexuality in that grou n this sc 
Mr. Massee refuses to allow any comers to the isles “ a 
link vie the Floridee@; he dismisses it as ‘ longation of the 
00go! ” and requires the reappearance of sexual organs in the 
reamed after these had been dropped by their conidial progenitors. 
Brefeld’s system of classification, which has always been looked 
on as a good working system, has been followed with some modi- 
r ject is to enable us to identify species correctly.” 
is scarcely the whole truth; we want a scheme that represents to us 
® natural , ready method of identification Mor- 
odue 
The morphological evidence in this case must be s a aside, and the 
yeasts esha from the Ascomycetes to find their affinity in some 
** Fungi impe 
The text- O hook i is packed full of information, well arranged, and 
well indexed, and should prove invaluable to the student. Some 
8 ips occur, as, for instance, on p. 279, where the ‘“ Fungi imper- 
fecti’”’ are said to be “ usually considered as hitherto cinaetaahed 
forms of the Py renomycetes.”” The author should have added, ‘or 
Discomycetes.”* ere is at least one Gloeosporium that is allied 
to a Patudopectia: and siete are various Hyplomycetes punsected 
with other Discomye 
illustrations are numerous and instructive ; they may lack 
the distinction that is gained by employing a heavier type of 
— paper, but there is ample compensation in the agreeable 
ightness of the book. 4,0 
