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Catalogue of the Pacific Coast Fungi. 



[Read before the California Academy of Sciences Feb. 2, 1880.] 

 INTBODUCTION. 



Previous to the year 1876 nothing had been accomplished in the study of 

 the fungi of this Coast, with the exception of a few species collected by the 

 Wilkes expedition, which were at that time referred to Professor Torrey for 

 identification. But four or five of these were determined and of these but 

 one or two can now be traced. Since that period, although the flowering 

 plants have been most thoroughly studied, the fungi of this Coast have been 

 entirely neglected. 



Fully realizing the importance of the undertaking, not only for its scientific 

 value, but also from an economic stand-point, we, four years since, determined 

 to devote our leisure to making a collection of the Pacific Coast Fungi. To 

 those who have given their time to scientific pursuits we need not say that 

 this has been a work of ever-increasing interest. While we have not been 

 able to visit every portion of our Coast, it will be observed that our explora- 

 tions have extended over quite a wide range of territory — from Mt. Shasta 

 on the north to Fort Yuma on the south — from the seashore to the eastern 

 limits of the Sierras. 



In reference to the geographical distribution of the fungi, it will be seen 

 that most of our species found upon the low lands are common to both 

 Europe and America, whilst of those growing along the Sierras, many are 

 the same as the Alpine species of Europe ; others are peculiar to our own 

 Coast. Again, it will be seen, that the hot and arid desert at the south 

 yields species common to Africa. The distribution we have aimed to make 

 clear by giving in every instance the locality where found. We have, in the 

 case of the Hymenomycetes and other edible fungi, indicated the fact by ap- 

 pending an E. We have also added the habitat of our parasitic fungi, to aid 

 the student, and have, as will be observed, indicated the new species. 



We do not claim for this catalogue that it contains anything like a full list 

 of the fungi of this Coast, or even of our own collection. It is merely a 

 catalogue of such as we know to be found here, and such as we have fully 

 determined. A large mass of material still remains in our hands for study 

 and determination, as our leisure may allow. We give this list, the first of 

 the kind ever published on this Coast, in the hope that it may be of service 

 to others and incite them to a study of this most interesting department of 

 botanical research. In the cave fungi, or fungi of our mines, comparatively 

 little has been done. Want of a literature on this subject has been a great 

 hindrance to us in this work. The single cave fungus placed in the addenda 

 is so striking that we have deemed it worthy of an insertion. There are oth- 

 ers which we are at work upon, and in due time hope to report. 



We have followed in the first part of this catalogue the arrangement 

 of the genera as given by Fries in his Hymenomycetes Europaei. For the 

 rest, we have adopted the order, as far as practicable, as given in Cooke's 



