GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. 275 
Hymenomycetes, Sparassis, occupies a similar place next the 
Clavarigi, and is peculiarly a production of the temperate zone 
and of the coniferous region. 
The fungi which constitute the family of Tremellint prevail in 
Europe, Asia, and North America, and exhibit no marked differ- 
ences amongst themselves, notwithstanding the distances of the 
several countries apart. It must, however, be stated that the 
Hirneole for the most part inhabit the tropics. 
We come now to the Gasteromycetes—an interesting family, 
which exhibits several ramifications or particular series of de- 
velopments. The most perfect Gasteromycetes almost exclusively 
velong to the warmer division of the temperate, and to the 
tropical zone, where their vegetation ig the most luxuriant. Of 
late the catalogue of these fungi has been greatly enriched by 
the addition of numerous genera and species, proper to hot coun- 
tries, previously unknown. Not uncommonly, the exotic floras 
differ from ours, not merely in respect of the species, but also of 
the genera of Gasteromycetes. It must, besides, be observed 
that this family is rich in well-defined genera, though very poor 
in distinct specific forms. Among the genera found in Europe, 
many are cosmopolitan. 
The Phalloidci present themselves in the torrid zone under 
the most varied form and colouring, and comprise many genera 
rich in species. In Europe their number is very restricted. As 
we advance northward they decrease rapidly, so that the central 
districts of Sweden possess only a single species, the Phallus 
impudicus, and even this solitary representative of the family is 
very scarce. In Scania, the most southern province of Sweden, 
there is likewise but one genus and one species belonging to it, 
viz., the Mutinus caninus. Among other members of the Phal- 
loideit, may be further mentioned the Lysurus of China, the 
Aserée of Van Diemen’s Land, and the Clathrus, one species of 
which, C. cancellatus, has a very wide geographical range; for 
instance, it is found in the south of Europe, in Germany, and in 
America; it occurs also in the south of England and the Isle of 
Wight; whereas the other species of this genus have a very 
limited distribution. 
