BOOK NEWS Smut Fungi of the World. By Kálmán ... - IMA Fungus
BOOK NEWS Smut Fungi of the World. By Kálmán ... - IMA Fungus
BOOK NEWS Smut Fungi of the World. By Kálmán ... - IMA Fungus
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<strong>BOOK</strong> <strong>NEWS</strong><br />
The phylogenetic systematics <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
order is now much clearer than it was in<br />
<strong>the</strong> pre-molecular age in which <strong>the</strong> 1987<br />
monograph was produced. A series <strong>of</strong> papers<br />
giving an overview <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> current systematics<br />
and evolution <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se fungi was published<br />
separately in Mycoscience 52 (3) last year (see<br />
<strong>IMA</strong> <strong>Fungus</strong> 2: (60)–(61), 2011).<br />
Four tribes are now accepted within<br />
Erysiphales. Thirteen genera are recognized,<br />
which can be distinguished morphologically<br />
by <strong>the</strong> teleomorphs, but not always so readily<br />
by <strong>the</strong> anamorphs. A fourteenth “genus”,<br />
Microidium comb. stat. nov., is pragmatically<br />
used for three species only known from <strong>the</strong><br />
anamorph which appear to form a distinct<br />
taxon, while 27 <strong>of</strong> uncertain affinity are left<br />
in “Oidium”. Keys to <strong>the</strong> genera and sections<br />
are presented based on teleomorph and<br />
anamorph features, with a separate key to<br />
species based on <strong>the</strong> host families. Within<br />
each genus or section account, however, I<br />
was pleased to see that <strong>the</strong> characters used<br />
in making separations in <strong>the</strong> couplets were<br />
almost exclusively <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> fungi ra<strong>the</strong>r than<br />
<strong>the</strong> hosts.<br />
The species accounts are meticulously<br />
prepared, with full synonymies, information<br />
not only on types, but exsiccatae, illustrations,<br />
and literature reports; details not generally<br />
seen in many modern monographs.<br />
Comprehensive descriptions and information<br />
on host species and distribution are<br />
followed by <strong>of</strong>ten full and informative notes<br />
about <strong>the</strong> species, including doubtful or erroneous<br />
reports. Careful line drawings illustrate<br />
both teleomorph and anamorph where<br />
known. In such cases, <strong>the</strong> names <strong>of</strong> named<br />
anamorphs are presented with separately<br />
grouped synonyms under that <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> teleomorph.<br />
The changes in <strong>the</strong> Code, effective<br />
from 30 July 2011, under which one fungus<br />
species can have only one correct name came<br />
too late to enable <strong>the</strong> new provisions to be<br />
accommodated in <strong>the</strong> nomenclatural presentations.<br />
Very few names, a mere<br />
2 %, need any change as a result, and Braun<br />
(2012) has helpfully provided details <strong>of</strong> 18<br />
cases where <strong>the</strong>re is an earlier anamorphtypified<br />
name for inclusion in a future approved<br />
List <strong>of</strong> accepted names. In reality,<br />
<strong>the</strong> full slate <strong>of</strong> 873 accepted names could be<br />
included in such as List to stabilize <strong>the</strong> nomenclature<br />
<strong>of</strong> this order for posterity.<br />
The use <strong>of</strong> “Taxonomic” in <strong>the</strong> title<br />
should not put <strong>of</strong>f <strong>the</strong> non-specialist, and<br />
might have been expanded to “Taxonomic<br />
and Identification” as <strong>the</strong>re is so much information<br />
here that it can be utilized by <strong>the</strong><br />
neoerysiphalean with little or no previous<br />
knowledge <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se fungi. This work is <strong>the</strong><br />
pinnacle in <strong>the</strong> careers <strong>of</strong> two exceptional<br />
and dedicated mycologists, and is destined<br />
to be <strong>of</strong> everlasting value. Individual mycologists<br />
and plant pathologists, as well as<br />
institutions, are urged to secure a copy <strong>of</strong><br />
this superb work while <strong>the</strong>y can.<br />
Braun U (1987) A monograph <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Erysiphales<br />
(powdery mildews). Beihefte zur Nova Hedwigia<br />
89: 1–700.<br />
Braun U (2012) The impacts <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> discontinuation<br />
<strong>of</strong> dual nomenclature <strong>of</strong> pleomorphic fungi: <strong>the</strong><br />
trivial facts, problems, and strategies. <strong>IMA</strong> <strong>Fungus</strong><br />
3: 81–86.<br />
Conspectus <strong>of</strong> <strong>World</strong> Ethnomycology: fungi in ceremonies, crafts, diets, medicines,<br />
and myths. <strong>By</strong> Frank M. Dugan. 2011. ISBN 978-0-89054-395-5. Pp. viii + 151, figs 27<br />
(18 col.), tables 6, Appendices 2. St Paul, MN: APS Press (American Phytopathological<br />
Society Press). Price US$ 69.95.<br />
Frank Dugan has already addressed <strong>the</strong> role<br />
<strong>of</strong> fungi in ancient civilizations (Dugan<br />
2008), but now goes global. APS Press), but<br />
is much broader in scope and has a wealth <strong>of</strong><br />
vignettes that have <strong>the</strong> potential to liven-up<br />
mycology classes.<br />
There is perhaps almost no end to what<br />
might be encompassed in such a title, especially<br />
as Dugan adopts a particularly broad<br />
definition <strong>of</strong> “ethnomycology”, as <strong>the</strong> study<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> multifarious uses <strong>of</strong> fungi by humans<br />
since pre-historic times. The first chapter <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> book provides a well-referenced global<br />
overview, while <strong>the</strong> second has an interesting<br />
take on <strong>the</strong> role <strong>of</strong> women, specially<br />
market women, as sources <strong>of</strong> information<br />
for herbalists since at least <strong>the</strong> sixteenth century<br />
– and accompanied by several pertinent<br />
early illustrations. The bulk <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> volume,<br />
however, is organized by regional chapters:<br />
Europe and <strong>the</strong> Mediterranean; Asia and <strong>the</strong><br />
Pacific; Sub-Saharan Africa; Latin America<br />
and <strong>the</strong> Caribbean; and North America. He<br />
aims to list <strong>the</strong> exploited fungi in each <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong>se regions, which conclude with a table<br />
<strong>of</strong> those “commonly documented as ethnomycologically<br />
important”. This is an almost<br />
impossible task, and <strong>the</strong> author makes a<br />
laudable effort, but mycologists who have<br />
visited rural markets and traditional medicine<br />
shops in Africa and China in particular<br />
will note numerous species <strong>the</strong>y encountered<br />
remain uncited. A final chapter looks<br />
at <strong>the</strong> nature <strong>of</strong> “folklore”, and touches on<br />
<strong>the</strong> issue <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> exploitation and conservation<br />
<strong>of</strong> wild mushrooms. The literature cited<br />
covers over 25 pages, and this compilation<br />
is <strong>of</strong> considerable value in its own right as<br />
some sources are little-known, but again is<br />
inevitably incomplete, and I missed Findlay’s<br />
(1982) book in particular. The whole<br />
concludes with lists <strong>of</strong> utilized fungi available<br />
from selected fungal genetic resource<br />
collections, and some 20 recipes compiled<br />
(36) ima fUNGUS