180 
Mycologia 
found to occur throughout both genera, we cannot understand 
how their presence or absence could be used as a differential 
character between the two. If later they should be found to be 
common to many of the pyrenomycetes, having been already 
reported in several, we fail to understand how their presence 
could be of any value as a generic character at all. Then, with 
our present incomplete knowledge of the nature of, or the con- 
ditions under which chlamydospores are formed, what reason 
have we to believe that they are constant in their occurrence in 
any given species? Is it not possible that their presence or ab- 
sence may be even more unreliable than -the stroma itself? 
On the above outlined uncertain evidence, he adopts the pres- 
ence or absence of chlamydospores as a differential character 
between Nectria and Hypomyces and proposes in order to make 
the character fit the few species investigated to transpose all the 
species of Nectria in which chlamydospores have been reported 
to the genus Hypomyces, and publishes the new combination for 
Nectria Ipomoeae Halsted. 
While no line of work is of more value to the taxonomist than 
life history study of the various species of fungi, yet to attempt 
to draw general conclusions as to the value of taxonomic charac- 
ters by an investigation of a few isolated species is not improv- 
ing classification but only adding chaos to confusion. After thus 
so easily disposing of most of the difficulties in the classification 
of the Hypocreales, he then proceeds to record the results of his 
work on Fusarium, in which field he has contributed much valu- 
able knowledge to the cause of science. 
The genus Fusarium is divided into sections on the basis of the 
forms of the conidia, as follows ; Elegans, Martiella, Discolor, 
Gibbosum, Roseum, and Ventricosum. The types of conida on 
which these sections are based are given in an accompanying plate. 
V erticillium is briefly considered, although showing no morpho- 
logical relationship with Fusarium. Ramularia, which differs 
from Fusarium in its cylindrical conidia, is also considered. 
It is assumed as a general rule that the presence of chlamydo- 
spores in certain sections of Fusarium indicates the absence of 
ascogenous stages. There are, however, exceptions in Hypomyces 
and Nectria. 
