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NOTES ON CALIFORNIA FUNGI 



H. E. Parks 



The last two seasons, so far as weather conditions are con- 

 cerned, have been anything but ideal. A long-continued drought 

 was the direct cause of failure to secure many species that ordi-. 

 narily are very plentiful. Again, the scattered storms have in- 

 duced growth among some species over a most unusual length 

 of time. 



To one who is familiar with climactic conditions it would read- 

 ily be seen that a long season with the fungi is hardly to be ex- 

 pected. Especially is this true when it is known that the dry 

 season is very long, and never broken by summer showers such 

 as are known in the eastern and northern states. Yet, under 

 these dry conditions, one may be able to find many rare speci- 

 mens of hypogaeous fungi as well as species of Hymenomycetales. 



The active work in this investigation was begun in the fall of 

 1916, and has been continued steadily ever since, including con- 

 stant observation of the districts to be worked, throughout the 

 entire dry, dormant summer season. The work itself was planned, 

 so far as possible for one man, to include a thorough search ovei 

 definite regions, and to collect systematically all species found. 

 Thus it was hoped to establish the complete range of species and 

 also the duration of seasons. Special attention was to be devoted 

 to certain classes, such as the Boletes, to solve the really complex 

 problem of their relationship to eastern and European species ; 

 to really find out what species are found in this state. 



Again, the Hymenogastrales and Tuberales, especially the lat- 

 ter, were to receive a most thorough investigation. 



The results considered in this article were obtained only by 

 persistent work under adverse and trying conditions. The 

 amount of time devoted to exploring has been limited to one day 

 in ten this last season, often after having worked all nigh't, and in 

 the face of winter storms. I have ridden over one thousand 



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