THE DISTRIBUTION OF FUNGI IN 

 PORTO RICO 



Bruce Fink 



What follows is based on a sojourn of two months in Porto 

 Rico, in November and December, 191 5, and January, 1916. The 

 fungous flora was examined in several areas, selected to give a 

 good knowledge of the fungi of the island as a whole. The col- 

 lecting stations were about San Juan, Rio Piedras, Rio Grande, 

 Mameyes, Vega Baja, Manati, Mayagiiez, Yauco, Aibonito, and 

 Naranjito. These areas were selected to give a view of the island 

 from end to end and from side to side, and as much variety as 

 possible with respect to elevation and rainfall. All elevations 

 were reached from sea level to the highest on the island, 4,985 

 feet. All conditions with respect to precipitation of moisture 

 were reached, from the desert conditions on the south side of the 

 island with 15 to 30 inches per annum to 125 to 150 inches about 

 El Yunque. 



Each day's collecting occupied long hours and often long 

 tramps, stopping neither for heat nor rain. The hand lens was 

 used freely in the field, and no specimens were taken that did not 

 seem to be in condition for determination. This method gave 

 somewhat more than 2,200 numbers. Had specimens been taken 

 without examination, probably two or three times as many could 

 have been secured. Yet it is doubtful whether the larger amount 

 of work required to study such a collection would add sufficiently 

 to the results to warrant the method. 



The prime purpose of the itinerary was to collect the ascomy- 

 cetes. After these the "agarics and the pore fungi received most 

 attention. Among the ascomycetes, the Graphidaceae and the 

 Arthoniaceae received first attention. The rusts and the im- 

 perfect fungi which grow on living plants had been collected by 

 F. L. Stevens and others, and these, with the smuts, were passed 

 over. All other fungi were taken as seen ; but those outside the 



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