G. I'. BACON, P R IN T E R , LEWES.
PREFACE.
Thibtt-I’ivb years ago one of t t e volumes of tlie “ English Flora
contained full descriptions of all th e species th en known of B ritish
Fungi. Prior to th is several floras, and especially Mr. Samuel G-ray s
“ N a tu ral Arrangement” and W ith e rin g ’s “ Arrangement,” included
th e fu n g i; b u t it was le ft to th e Eev. M. J . Berkeley to collect th e
materials, and eliminate from them, a Mycological Flora of th e B ritish
Islands. During th e thirty-five years th a t have elapsed since th e
appearance of th e la s t complete Mycologic Flora, no a ttem p t has been
made to revise it, to incorporate species since discovered, and to bring
i t up to th e standard of modern science. No apology, therefore, is
necessary for th e p resent effort, since all will admit th a t th e want of
such a manual has long been felt, and th is work makes its appearance
under th e advantage th a t it seeks to occupy a place which has long
been vacant.
I t was my in ten tio n a t first to have added an introduction, tre a tin g
of th e stru c tu re and affinities of th e different orders and genera
included in th e present volume, with an explanation of my own views
as to th e classification adopted, b u t as th e work proceeded it so far
exceeded th e dimensions originally estimated, th a t it was found
impossible to do justice to th is portion of th e subject here, and th e
“ Introduction” has been postponed, in th e hope th a t hereafter i t may
appear as a separate volume. I t may suffice to s ta te th a t, in th e
face of th e bewildering chaos of new genera which have of la te been
proposed on th e C ontinent, especially for Ascomycetous forms, I have
endeavoured to avoid, as much as possible, encumbering these pages
with a nomenclature often fanciful, seldom necessary, and which may,
a t best, be regarded as transitional. I t is hoped th a t such changes as