PHYLOG1 \) AND CI iSSlFIC \i u <\ XI 



system, and an extended time-interval is then necessary t<> produ< e an- 

 other mycelium with fruiting-potential. 



Rains are essential for Fruiting. Bui rains are also required for 

 normal development of a mycelium. It may be assumed thai the time 

 required for the development of a crop-producing mycelium varies 

 with the species. When the mycelium lias reached its carpophore- 

 producing potential, then normal Frequent rains rather than infrequent 

 torrential downpours appear more favorable for fruiting. 



PHYLOGENY AND CLASSIFICATION 



In order to arrange the species of Hygrophorus in at least a some- 

 what natural sequence it is necessary to review briefly the species in 



related groups of gill fungi to see if it is possible to ascertain the origin 

 and development of the characters which finally serve to distinguish 



the familv and its principal genus. Hygrophorus. The characters which 

 concern us most are the long, narrow basidia often with flexuous pedi- 

 cels and the waxy hymenophore. The ordinarily rather thick lamellae 

 tending to become venose in the interspaces are also important, as is 

 the general tendency for the gills to be spaced far apart, i.e., distant or 

 subdistant. We regard the parallel and bilateral arrangement of the 

 hyphae in the trama of the hymenophore to be advanced characters 

 and the interwoven arrangement to be primitive. This conclusion is 

 based on our experience with agarics and on evaluation of the litera- 

 ture. If this assumption is accepted, we can add interwoven gill trama 

 to the primitive characters to be expected in ancestral forms of the 

 family. 



A search of the Agaricales furnishes us with some relationships ot 

 the more specialized groups of Hygrophorus, such as Hygrocybe with 

 such groups as the Adonidac of Mycena, and possibly a case can be 

 made for relationships to Clitocybc and Tricholoma, though we do 

 not wish to defend the possibility of these at present. The relationships, 

 if they can be said to exist, all require more detailed study. 



It is only when we turn to CanthareUus that we find species con- 

 spicuously possessing the characters which define the genus Hi/^ro- 

 phorus. It is in this genus that we find the elongated basidia more or 

 less of the "clavarioid" type. It is tine that they are not as "clavarioid" 

 in Hygrophorus, as in CanthareUus, but it is only in this genus that a 

 significant relationship can be made on tin's character. The same can 

 be said for the waxy hymenophore, but it must be admitted that this is 

 a subjective character which many people find difficult to recognize in 

 Hygrophorus itself. Consequently, some debate as to whether it is 



