246 



Mycologia 



Quotation 13 



I believe that the lichens should be maintained as a distinct 

 class under the fungi, and co-ordinate with the Ascomycetes. 

 The argument for distributing the lichens among the other fungi 

 is based on the close similarity between the lower forms of lichens 

 and certain fungi, it being pointed out that in these forms, algae 

 are present in small numbers or only loosely associated with the 

 fungi. It seems to me, however, that in considering the nature of 

 lichens it is fair to take the typical members of the group, these 

 low forms referred to showing the origin of the group, but not 

 showing its characteristic features. We do not call the Green or 

 Brown Algae " animals " just because the lower members of these 

 groups are scarcely separable from Flagellata. Comparing, then, 

 the more typical Lichen-fungi with the true Fungi, there are strik- 

 ing and important differences. (A) The true fungi have been 

 developed from the Algae by adapting themselves to new modes 

 of nutrition and to subaerial habitats. Throughout the group, 

 however, the vegetative body remains simple, the chief differen- 

 tiation being in the direction of massive fruiting-bodies for the 

 better protection and dissemination of the spores. The evolu- 

 tion of the Lichen-fungi has been in the direction of a massive 

 vegetative body, often highly specialized, and with peculiar meth- 

 ods of vegetative multiplication (soredia). The lichen-thallus 

 is a development of the vegetative body wholly without parallel 

 among the true fungi. There are certain Ascomycetes which are 

 parasitic on Laminarias, but these have the usual simple, filamen- 

 tous mycelium. It is in the development of the thallus that the 

 parasitism of the lichen-fungi differs. Ephebe, which is excep- 

 tional among the lichens, most closely approaches the true para- 

 sitic fungi. (B) It may be objected that to base a class on differ- 

 ences in vegetative structure is contrary to the usual principles 

 of classification. But the chief distinctions between the Class : 



Pilzen nicht wiederkehrende, Eigenschaft des Flechtenlagers, Flechtensauren zu 

 bilden, kann als Stutze meiner Auffassung herangezogen werden. Es ist 

 selbstredend, daas auch bei einer selbstandigen Behandlung des Flechtenreichs 

 der moderne Lichenologe keinen Moment darauf vergessen wird, dass die 

 Lichenen Descendenten der Pilze sind und wird sich dessen insbesondere dann 

 bewusst sein, wenn er phylogenetische Flechtensudien betreibt. 



