256 



Mycologia 



Quotation 26 



Theoretically, and as a matter of pure science, I have no doubt 

 that lichens are fungi. Classification, however, is not a pure 

 science but an applied science. I understand your question to 

 refer to classification for use in systematic work. Up to the 

 present time our systematic knowledge of lichens, with the excep- 

 tion noted below, has come from lichenologists proper. Of 

 course some men have written on both fungi and lichens (e. g., 

 Nylander, who wrote also on Pezizae), but they in the one case, 

 wrote as mycologists ; in the other, as lichenologists. In all prob- 

 ability for an indefinite time to come descriptive work in lichens 

 will continue to be in the hands of those who are lichenologists in 

 the strict sense. The mere fact that the gymnocarpic lichens, for 

 instance, are really Discomycetes is no reason why their study 

 should be turned over to those who are specialists in the dis- 

 comycetous fungi. Practically it is better that we should still 

 continue to regard lichens as a distinct group to be studied by 

 specialists as far as their systematic study is concerned. It is, 

 however, true that lichens and fungi overlap in some cases. Take 

 Calicium for instance. Some have gonidia and some do not, 

 therefore, some are lichens and some are fungi. My opinion is 

 that, considering the similar structure of the fruit, whether 

 gonidia are present of not, genera like Calicium should be treated 

 as a whole and not split up into fungi and lichens and treated 

 fragmentally. One notices how in Engler and Prantl some genera 

 have been overlooked for the reason that in the part on lichens 

 they were assumed to be fungi and in that on fungi, to be lichens. 

 There are therefore, a few genera with regard to which it may be 

 doubtful whether they should be treated exclusively by lichen- 

 ologists or not, but that does not affect materially the general 

 question. Mycologist, 2, 14, a- (i 2-14 ). 



Quotation 2j 



While I am ready to admit that theoretically the lichens should 

 be included perhaps among the fungi, practically I think they 

 should be regarded as a separate group. The lichens make up 

 such a large group which is so different from all groups of fungi 



