Original PDF Flash format north-american-fungi  


North American Fungi

North American Fungi
Volume 3, Number 7, Pages 161-166
Published August 29, 2008
Formerly Pacific Northwest Fungi
Early illustrations of Xylaria species
Donald H. Pfister
Farlow Herbarium, Harvard University, 22 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
Pfister, D. H. 2008. Early illustrations of Xylaria species. North American Fungi 3(7): 161-166.
doi: 10.2509/naf2008.003.0079
Corresponding author: dpfister@oeb.harvard.edu. Accepted for publication May 1, 2008.
http://pnwfungi.org Copyright © 2008 Pacific Northwest Fungi Project. All rights reserved.
Abstract: Four 17th and early 18th Century examples of illustrations of Xylaria species are presented.
One of the earliest illustrations of a Xylaria species is that in Mentzel’s Pugillus rariorum plantarum
published in 1682 and which Fries referred to Sphaeria polymorpha. An 1711 illustration by Marchant is
noteworthy in the detail of the observations; perithecia and ascospores are noted and illustrated.
Marchant considered this fungus to be related to marine corals. The plate was subsequently redone and
incorporated by Micheli in his 1729 publication, Nova plantarum genera; this Micheli plate was listed by
Fries under a different species, Sphaeria digitata. Although Fries mentions several illustrations of
Sphaeria hypoxylon not all the sources he cited contain illustrations. The earliest illustration associated
162
Pfister. Early illustrations of Xylaria species. North American Fungi 3(7): 161-166
with this species that was located is Micheli’s in 1729. These illustrations are included along with
discussion of the authors and books in which the illustrations appear.
Key words: Fries, Marchant, Mentzel, Micheli, Xylaria, early illustrations
The genus Xylaria Hill ex Schrank is one that
literature related to the illustrations, and to
many people recognize but only few understand.
provide brief commentary on the authors of these
Jack Rogers is one of those who has added
books and the illustrations themselves. I began
refinement and substance to the taxonomy of this
the search for these illustration by consulting
most misunderstood genus. He has
Fries’s Systema Mycologicum.
demonstrated that species delimitations are often
too broadly conceived, that names often are
In the Systema Mycologicum volume 2 (Fries
misapplied, and that deceptively similar
1823) in which most of the Ascomycota were
morphologies belie the fact that there are many
treated, one finds several familiar specific
more species than previously suspected. It is
epithets now associated with Xylaria. These are
then perhaps not surprising that confusion has
found under the genus Sphaeria division
been a part of the history of these species from
Compositae, section Periphericae, tribe
the earliest days of descriptive mycology. Even
Cordyceps series Hypoxylon. This classification
the name of the genus has been questioned on
reflects the gross characters of these fungi, i. e.,
nomenclatural grounds. Dennis (1958), after a
many perithecia oriented in the outer layer of a
series of papers on tropical members of the genus
clavate stroma. Fries included abbreviated author
Xylaria, proposed a series of combination in the
citations and titles that, to the modern user, are
genus Xylosphaera Dumort. for species
cryptic. These short notations have served to
previously treated in Xylaria. The application of
guide my forays into the pre-Linnaean literature
the name was called into question because of the
that Fries consulted in his attempt to establish
broad and imprecise early application of the
names and their usage.
generic name that introduced ambiguity
regarding its typification. Although this name
At the beginning it is important to understand
controversy was resolved through conservation of
something about the methods Fries used in
Xylaria under the rules of the International
researching and assembling the Systema
Botanical Code (see Holm and MĂĽller 1965), the
Mycologicum. To do this I draw on an
situation serves to point-up the confusion that
unpublished translation of the introduction done
existed from the beginning of systematic
for me several years ago by Sarah E. Schurr, then
mycological studies over the identity of fungi that
a graduate student in Classics at Harvard
share the trait of producing clavate fruitbodies.
University. From this we can glean something of
Before microscopic features were consistently
Fries’s plan of work and motives. He (Fries 1821)
employed these claviform Ascomycota and
intended the Systema to be a compilation of the
Basidiomycota were often grouped together.
known species of fungi which he concluded would
Clavaria, Cordyceps and other taxa confused the
be a major undertaking. He commented in the
typification of Xylaria.
introduction that the number of described
species of fungi then was more than all the plants
My purpose in this brief note is to present and
included by Linnaeus in the Species Plantarum.
document some of the early illustrations of fungi
Sixty-eight years after Linnaeus’s Species
that might be assigned with some confidence to
Plantarum Fries was dealing with a large, diffuse,
the genus Xylaria, to examine some of the
largely European literature. Pfister et al. (1990)
Pfister. Early illustrations of Xylaria species. North American Fungi 3(7): 161-166
163
summarize the major publications of this period.
and also have illustrations which supplement
Fries used abbreviated typography, shortened
their brief polynomial descriptions. These fungi
descriptions and reduced citations in order to
and the books in which their illustrations appear
save space; without such conventions he
are taken up below.
estimated the volumes would have been three
times their published size. The Systema
Sphaeria digitata = Xylaria digitata (L.)
introduced a classification devised by Fries based
Grev., see Rogers (1984) regarding the various
on principles expressed by contemporary
interpretations and misinterpretations of this
taxonomists/natural philosophers, particularly
name.
Lorenz Oken is mentioned. Fries also outlined his
personal preparation for writing the Systema.
First he spent 10 years diligently seeking,
examining and describing the fungi from
different parts of Sweden … the flat areas and the
mountains, conifer forests and deciduous forests.
He entered into exchange of specimens and
corresponded with the most illustrious
mycologists of the day in Germany. Then he read
all the writings about fungi of which he knew.
Through these approaches Fries distinguished
himself from many of his contemporaries; he
takes into account previous work, he includes an
ecological component, he creates a classification
system, and establishes collaborative and
consultative interactions. The Systema indeed is
a testament to his field knowledge of fungi and to
his bibliographic scholarship. Even a casual look
at his citations demonstrates that he made use of
a large and rich library. The short and often
cryptic citations gathered by Fries provided the
primary literature that guided my search.
Fig. 1. Sphaeria digitatum, cited by Fries,
Fries included in section Hypoxylon the
reproduced from Marchant (1711).
following names1: S. mucronata Schwein.: Fr., S.
digitata (L.:Fr.) Grev., S. polymorpha Pers.: Fr.,
The first entry in Fries (1823: 326) under this
S. bulbosa Pers.: Fr., S. hypoxylon (L.:Fr.) Pers.,
species was “Lithophytoides digitatum &c. Mem.
S. carpophila Pers.: Fr., S. persicaria Schwein.:
Ac. Sc. Par. 1711. P. 100. c. ic.” This citation leads
Fr., S. filiformis Alb. & Schwein.: Fr. These at
to an article by Jean Marchant (1650-1738), son
various times all have been considered Xylaria
of another botanist Nicholas Marchant who was
species. Three of these names, S. digitata, S.
the director of the Jardin du Roi in Paris. In this
polymorpha, and S. hypoxylon, have histories
article (Marchant 1711) there is a detailed and
and usage that extend to the pre- Linnaean
well-executed illustration, under the polynomial
period from the late 17th and early 18th centuries
Lithophyton terrestre digitatum nigrum that can
be easily taken as a species of Xylaria
(reproduced here as Figure 1). Marchant
1 Here I have cited the names with Fries as sanctioning
author.
described this fungus that he first observed in the
164
Pfister. Early illustrations of Xylaria species. North American Fungi 3(7): 161-166
spring of 1709. It was found in his garden
growing on a maple trunk that had been cut in
February 1708. He commented in detail on the
development of this fungus and observed it with a
magnifying loupe. The plate shows the fungus in
natural size, enlarged and with portions
magnified. Among the details in the illustrations
are perithecial cavities, extracted perithecia and
ascospores, structures he said resemble grains of
vanilla but infinitely smaller. This is among the
first illustrations and references to fungal spores.
He wrote that at the same time he was making
observations on this fungus he had before him a
collection of marine organisms provided by the
Rev. Pere GoĂĽye. From his comparative studies
of the fungus and these marine creatures he
concluded that some of these marine organisms
and the fungus he described belonged to the
same group. Thus, this well described and
carefully observed fungus is described as a
terrestrial member of the soft corals in the genus
Lithophyton (a name still used today for some
soft corals, Nephtheidae). It is not clear where or
when the name Lithophytoides was used prior to
Fig. 2. Sphaeria polymorpha, cited by Fries,
Fries’s listing. Ainsworth (1976) reproduced this
reproduced from Mentzel (1682).
figure but labeled it Xylaria polymorpha.
it does serve as a placeholder in the pre-Linnaean
Sphaeria polymorpha = Xylaria
literature and certainly this plate, taken as a
polymorpha (Pers.:Fr.) Grev., see Rogers
whole deserves our attention. It is well executed
and Callan (1986).
and detailed; furthermore, it includes a wide
array of other fungi. In addition to the
In this entry Fries (1823: 326) cryptically and
Hypoxylon, it shows several species of Morchella
erroneously listed “Hypoxylon. Menz. [sic] pugill.
and Gyromitra, a truffle, a small agric, a cup-
t. 6.” A search of the literature brought us to
fungus, and a detailed rendering of bird’s nest
Christian Mentzel’s Pugillus rariorum
fungi, including a developmental series as well as
plantarum of 1682. Christian Mentzel (1622-
peridioles with funicular attachments.
1701) was a German physician, botanist and
philologist specializing in Chinese language; also
In addition to the above citation Fries also listed
he was an advisor to the King of Prussia. Plate 6
“Mich. gen. t. 54. f. 4.” This refers to Pier’
of the Pugillus is reproduced here (Figure 2). In
Antonio Micheli’s (1679-1737) Nova plantarum
the lower right, labeled Hypoxylon is the figure to
genera published in 1729. Interestingly, this
which Fries refers. Indeed, it does seem to depict
figure, a portion of which is reproduced here as
a Xylaria. With the date 1682 this is among the
Figure 3, seems to be nearly identical to the
earliest of the illustrations that could be
Marchant plate cited above under Sphaeria
attributed to the genus. Although it is unlikely
digitata. Obviously Fries confused these
the earliest illustration of a Xylaria species,
citations in some way. There is no indication that
Pfister. Early illustrations of Xylaria species. North American Fungi 3(7): 161-166
165
Fig. 3. Sphaeria polymorpha, cited by Fries,
reproduced from Micheli (1729), plate 54, fig. 4
and 5. The illustration on the right refers to this
species.
Micheli routinely copied plates but a more
thorough search of the plates might well give
other examples. Of all the works consulted it is
that of Micheli (1729) that include the widest
range of Xylaria illustrations. Micheli gave three
figures illustrating fungi that can be referred to
Xylaria. These appear in figures 54 nos. 4
Fig. 4. Sphaeria hypoxylon, cited by Fries,
mentioned above and 55 nos. 1 and 2,which are
reproduced from Micheli (1729).
commented on below and reproduced herein as
Figure 4. Further information on this book and
plantarum genera (1729). Plate 55 is reproduced
on Micheli can be found in the facsimile edition
here as Figure 4.
with a introduction by Hawksworth (1976).
The debate of the late 20th century regarding
Sphaeria hypoxylon L. = Xylaria
Fries’s Systema as a literal starting point for the
hypoxylon (L.) Grev.
nomenclature of large groups of fungi has given
way to the current use of the volumes to sanction
Under this listing Fries (1823: 327) includes four
names. The diligence with which Fries
references. The initial one is “Bocc. Mus. t. 116,
researched the literature of his time leads to the
266.” This seems to refer to the following: Paulo
taxonomic imprimatur he provides for us today.
Boccone, Museo di fisica e di esperienze…
This study might serve to remind us that Fries
published in 1697. Several copies of this work
did base his work on solid ground in the
were examined in order to locate associated
descriptive literature available to him.
illustrations but to no avail. Search of
subsequent citations were also inconclusive. The
Acknowledgements: The search for these
search of “Blackst. sp. Bot. 2, t. 1” (referring to
illustrations would have been impossible without
Blackstone (1746)) and “Pet. Gaz. t. 62. f.
the collections in the Harvard Botanical Libraries
2”(referring to Petiver (1702-1709)) failed to find
and without the assistance of Judith Warnement
illustrations. Thus, the earliest traceable, verified
and Lisa DeCesare, who also aided in copying the
illustration of this variously intrepreted species
illustrations.
is “Mich. gen. t. 55. f. 1” or Micheli’s Nova
166
Pfister. Early illustrations of Xylaria species. North American Fungi 3(7): 161-166
Literature cited:
Marchant, J. 1711. Observations: Touchant la
Ainsworth, G.C. 1976. Introduction to the history
nature des plantes, & de quelques-unes de leurs
of mycology. Cambridge University press,
parties caches ou inconnuës. Mémoires de
Cambridge, New York.
l'Académie des Sciences. Paris. 1711: 99-108.
Mentzel, C. 1682. Index Nominum Plantarum
Blackstone, J. 1746. Specimen botanicum, quo
Universialis. Pugillus rariorum plantarum. D.
plantarum plurium rariorum Angliae ... Typis
Berolini, ex officina Rungiana.
Gulielni Faden, Londini.
Micheli, P.A. 1729. Nova plantarum genera iuxta
Boccone, P. 1697. Museo di piante rare della
Tournefortii methodum disposita … Typis
Sicilia, Malta, Corsica, Italia, Piemonte, e
Bernardi Paperinii, Florentiae.
Germania. Venezia.
Petiver, J. 1702 – 1709. Gazophylacii naturae et
Dennis, R.W.G. 1958. Xylaria versus Hypoxylon
artis … Londini
and Xylosphaera. Kew Bulletin 13: 101-106.
http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.2307/4117630
Pfister, D.H., J.R. Boise, M.A. Eifler. 1990. A
bibliography of taxonomic mycological literature
Fries, E.M. 1821. Systema mycologicum, sistens
1753-1821. Mycologia Memoir 17: 1-161.
fungorum ordines, genera et species. Vol. 1.
Officina Berlingiana, Lundae.
Rogers, J.D. 1984. Xylaria acuta, Xylaria
cornu-damae, and Xylaria mali in continential
Fries, E.M. 1823. Systema mycologicum, sistens
United States. Mycologia 76:23-33. 1984.
fungorum ordines, genera et species. Vol 2.
http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.2307/3792832
Officina Berlingiana, Lundae.
Rogers, J.D. and B.E. Callan. 1986. Xylaria
Hawksworth, D.L. 1976. Introduction, 4 pp. [s.
polymorpha and its allies in continental United
n.], to P. Micheli, Nova plantarum genera,
States. Mycologia 78: 391-400.
Richmond Pub. Co., Richmond, Surrey
http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.2307/3793042
Holm, L. and E. MĂĽller. 1965. Nomina
conservanda proposita II. Proposals on the
conservation of generic names submitted to the
eleventh International Botanical Congress Seattle
– 1969. Reg. veg. 40: 13.