OPTIMA Newsletter 38

Publications
spond to the numbering in the Centuriae, nor
to the (unexplained) figure numbers apparently
inscribed by Inzenga on the sheets, nor
do they appear in the first and main text portion,
with the transcribed manuscript notes.
Correlating the two sets of notes, and the
first set with the figures, is problematic. The
rationale of the new numbering is unclear.
The order is not systematic, perhaps it reflects
the sequence of the items in the parcels.
Adding to complexity, ongoing study
while the work was being printed resulted in
a substantial number (46) of new or revised
identifications, to be looked up in an appendix
at the end.
Inzenga’s work presents some bibliographic
problems that might have been addressed
but remain unexplained. The original
publication of the “Centuriae” is said to
have occurred in several parts in the “Giornale
di Scienze Naturali ed Economiche”,
the first between 1865 and 1868 and the
second in 1869-1871. No details of the instalments
are given, but they are said to have
been consolidated in book form – in 1865
and 1869, respectively. So, either the latter,
presently accepted dates are wrong, or publication
in the journal, somewhat illogically,
was later. An 1869 review is mentioned, but
it is unclear whether it concerns both volumes,
or the first only. A matter, perhaps, to
be clarified by Venturella in the future.
W.G.
5. 4BM. PASQUALETTI, A. RAMBELLI, B.
MULAS & S. TEMPESTA – Identification
key and description of Mediterranean
maquis litter microfungi. [Bocconea
(ISSN 1120-4060), 18.] – Herbarium
Mediterraneum Panormitanum,
Palermo, 2005 (ISBN 88-7915-020-0).
176 pages, 132 figures, 4 plates of
drawings, table; paper.
Mediterranean maquis is mainly formed
by sclerophyllous woody species whose
leaves are unpalatable for the common
saprotrophic fungi of other habitats. Litter
formation in a maquis environment depends
on a limited number of specialised deuteromycetes,
often dwelling on the shed leaves
of only one or a few species. Knowledge of
these saprobionts is of mycologycal as well
as general ecological interest.
The present volume has been written as
a practical tool for identifying fungi known
to occur on litter in maquis communities. It
is restricted to species that have been found
in Sardinia – 122 in total, belonging to 62
different genera; but as the component
shrubs of maquis communities are widespread
all over the Mediterranean area, one
may expect that it will be found useful in a
much wider area. Clearly, in regions where
the maquis communities are richer and the
woody flora more diverse than on Sardinia,
supplementary components of the litter mycoflora
are to be expected. Basically, however,
this identification aid with its practical
key to genera and species and its artless but
informative drawings will nevertheless retain
its usefulness, that is enhanced by the listing
of known substrata for each treated species.
W.G.
6. 5BLuis Alberto PARRA SÁNCHEZ – Agaricus
L., Allopsalliota Nauta & Bas,
tribu Agariceae S. Imai, part I. [Fungi
Europaei 1[1].] – Candusso, Alassio,
2008 (88-901057-7-1). 823 pages, 461
photographs or micrographs in colour,
104 figures in black-and-white, 42 coloured
facsimile plates; hard cover.
Luis Parra, a veterinary doctor by profession,
is entirely a self-made mycologist. In
this he is not of course alone, but among his
many peers he is doubtless one of the most
enthusiastic, knowledgeable and polyvalent.
The present book bears witness of Parra’s
many talents. It is the first half of a fullsized
monograph of European representatives
of the tribe Agariceae, encompassing
the two genera mentioned in the title. The
contents of the second half are not specified;
but as there are 11 sections of Agaricus pre-
(4) OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 2009