288 INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF FUNGI 



For the purposes of classification, the genera of the Tuber- 

 culariae are grouped according to the general principles adopted 

 in the Mucedines and Dematiaei, and in fact throughout the 

 Saccardian system — that is to say, the sections are based on the 

 septation of the conidia, whether unicellular, biloeular, multi- 

 cellular, or with stellate or helicoid forms. In each of the 

 sections the genera are characterised by the features presented 

 by the sporodochium, or spore-bed, and the development of the 

 gonidia, whether produced singly or in chains. There are 

 some forty-two genera in all, which it would be somewhat 

 tedious to describe in detail. 



The Tuberculariae Dematieae contain such genera as possess 

 the habit and development of Tuberculariae, but with coloured 

 hyphae, and similarly coloured, or rarely of hyaline, gonidia. 

 They are less numerous in genera and species than the previous 

 section, but many of the genera correspond in habit and appear- 

 ance, differing only in the coloured hyphae. Not long ago, ' 

 when the septation of conidia was not held to be of generic 

 importance, or the coloured or uncoloured hyphae a fact of 

 moment, the few genera which were contained in the Tuber- 

 cularieae were rather a heterogeneous collection of species, held 

 together by some superficial character, and embracing forms 

 which are now dispersed through several genera. The large 

 increase of genera which has resulted from the adoption of a 

 more precise method of classification is therefore something 

 more than a numerical gain, since it is the result of a closer 

 investigation, and the application of a more uniform and 

 scientific system, which in the end must, conduce to the 

 benefit of the student, and, encouraging a more rigid examina- 

 tion of species, tend to the advancement of this branch of 

 biological study. 



BIBLIOGRAPHY 



Saccardo, P. A. Sylloge Fungorum, vol. iv. — " Hyphomyoeteae. " Padua, 1886. 

 Cokda, J. C. Prachtflora Europ. Schimmelbild. Fol. Col. plates. Leipzig, 1839. 



The same in French as Flore illustrie de Mucedine'es d 'Europe. 1840. 



"Die Pilze Deutschlands, " in Sturm, Deutschlands Flora. 12mo. 



1829-41. 



Anleitv/ng zum Studium der Mykologie. 8vo. Prague, 1842. 



