1894.) Botany. 177 
genera Sphaerella, Diaporthe, Leptosphaeria, Pleospora, Phoma, ete., 
ete. If the matrix had acted to modify the characters of Fungi, why 
should we find mingled together on the same branch, on the same leaf, 
two Diaporthes, two Sphaerellas, perfectly distinct? I am therefore 
convinced that a reduction of species will have without doubt to be 
made, but always with great caution, retaining also on this subject the 
just precept: melius est distinguere quam confundere. 
In the number of the Fungi are comprised also the so-called imperfeet 
forms (Sphaeropsideae, Melanconieae, Hyphomyceteae) which amount 
to about 10,000 species. These, in the judgment of some mycologists, 
ought to be excluded from the census of species; but this does not 
seem just, because, if for some few we know for certain that they form 
part of the metagenetic cycle of known perfect forms, it is more cer- 
tain still that of the greatest part we know nothing positively of 
their metagenesis and are able to suspect that they are permanent 
forms of which the perfect state either has disappeared, or is wanting 
or is very rare. Why then should we exclude from the census of 
fungi beings distinct and constant? 
We have seen that in only thirty years the number of fungi has in- 
creased by almost 28,000 species. I may add that an increase of 
certainly 8,100 species belongs to the brief period from 1882 to 1890 
(efr. Suppl. Syl. Fung.) in spite of the fact that my Sylloge Fungorum 
was published contemporaneously, a repertorium of all the Fungi 
hitherto described. Now we ask ourselves: to what results will the 
already well-begun mycological researches lead us when we have ex- 
tended them to the whole world and to all fungus-bearing hosts? 
Some example can perhaps enlighten us a little on this journey still to 
be made. One of the best known regions (although not perfectly) in 
respect to the Phanerogamic flora more than the Cryptogamie, is with- 
out doubt the Venetian region. In this, according to the enumeration 
made by the well known Professor De Visiani in his work of 1869 
(Catalogo delle piante vascolari del’veneto) we have 2939 Phanerogams, 
a number which even to-day remains almost unchanged, For the Cryp- 
togams we have the accurate work of the G. Bizzozero published | in: 
1885 (Flora Veneta Crittogamica, Ven. 1885), where the Venetian 
Cryptogams amount in all to about 6,000 of which 4,200 are fungi, a 
number raised now to about 4,800 by the researches of Professors A. 
N. Berlese, C. Massalongo, ete. 
If the number of Venetian Phanerogams studied diligently from 
more than a century ago till our own time could not with new studies 
increase more than a very small number of species, it is positive that 
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