CURRENT LITERATURE 
BOOK REVIEWS 
The genera of fungi 
Several years ago Professor CLEMENTs began a translation of the keys to the 
genera of fungi in the original eight volumes of Saccarpo’s Sylloge Fungorum, 
and this has now resulted in a book.t With the appearance of a large number 
of new genera in the subsequent volumes, the keys have been arranged on 
an entirely different plan from that found in the Sylloge, although the spore sec- 
tions based on the color, shape, and septation of the spores have been retained. 
In the case of certain groups, the arrangement differs from that found in the 
Sylloge, as well as from that generally followed; for example, the bacteria are 
included among the Phycomycetes, the Uredinales and Ustilaginales among the 
Ascomycetes. The reviewer has taken some pains to test certain portions of the 
key. In most of the cases tried, one would have been led astray, unless the plant 
were already known, and even then, were the key followed literally, the plant 
would often reach the wrong genus, if not the wrong group. For example, the 
first two paragraphs in the key are supposed to enable the student to determine 
whether a plant belongs in the Phycomycetes or in the second division. If the 
plant to be named is a Peziza, and if the student knows it is an ascomycete, he 
would not need the key; but if he did not know this, he would certainly place it 
in the Phycomycetes if he depended on the words of the key, having in mind the 
structures usually present in the perfect fruit body of an ascomycete. On examin- 
ing a teleutospore, or other spore form of the Uredinales or Ustilaginales, who 
would recognize it as an ascus, or any structure in these orders as an ascomyce- 
tous structure, unless he already knew it? One must have a good knowledge of 
fungi before a key of this kind becomes very useful, and then the keys to the gen- 
eral subdivisions would not be necessary. Diagnostic characters for the general 
subdivisions would be more helpful. In this respect Saccarno’s keys to the genera 
are useful, since they are at the same time diagnostic. 
A few of the inaccuracies may be mentioned. The key to the Myxobac- 
teriaceae (p. 8) is incorrect in the statement “cells finally forming rows of 
globose spores” in Myxococcus, since each rodlike cell forms a single spore (see 
THAXTER, Bot. GAZETTE 23:400. 1897). The key to the Cladochytriae is 
incorrect, since there are species which possess both resting sporangia and 
zoosporangia. Not all the Syncephalidae form zygospores above conjugating 
progametes, as stated in the key, even in Piptocephalis. The key further says 
t CLEMENTS, FREDERIC EDWARD, The genera of fungi. 8vo. pp. 227. Minne- 
apolis: The H. W. Wilson Company. 1909. 
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