S. Mr. J. Bot. 1999, 65(2) 185

Book reviews provided for each family, genus and species in this series. Although the taxonomy is exclusively based on Malesia the list of references and synonyms in Illany evems are most impressive. Flora Malesiana. Series II - Ferns and Details on the types, lacking in many floras. are provided for Fern allies, Volume 3 both the currently accepted name and for the sYRonyms. The descriptions are very detai led and mostl y complete except where inadequate material was available for study. For each species the C. Kalkman and H.P. Nooteboom (eds.). complete distribution and notes on the habitat and ecology are Rijksherbarium/Hortus Botanicus, Leiden, The Netherlands, under provided. Thi s is often supplemented by interesting notes 011 the the auspices of Foundation Flora Malesiana. 1998. vi + 334 pages, taxon and often its lise by the locals. The volume concludes with including 35 line drawings, of which 19 are full-page. Paperbound an index to the scientific names with the intraspecific names hav­ with a full-colour cover. Price: Ofl 100.00. ISBN 90-71236-39-0. ing been entered under the specific name to which they belong, preceded by the ind ication of thei~ rank. This volume covers seven families of ferns and fern allies for The detailed line drawings by Mr. lH. van as and Mr. Malesia, a region covering the countries , , J.J.A.M. Wessendorp that supplement this volume are outstand­ Darussalam, S ingapore, the . and Papua New ing. N ineteen of these drawings are full-page whilst 16 are ha lf­ Guinea. No classification system is followed in the arrangement page or larger. Also supplementing the text are seven full -page of the families. The first family, Polypodiaceae, pp. 1- 234 is photographs of herbarium sheets depicting species of Dava/­ dealt with by P.H. Hovenkamp (with contributions by M.T.M. lodes, Lellcostegia and P/agiogyria. Bosman, E. Hennipman, H.P. Nooteboom, G. Redl-Linder, and A single new combination, Aglaomorpha aCliminata (Willd.) M.e. RODS), all of who are well known for their excellent mono­ Hovenkamp (- AcroSlichuJJl acum;natum Willd.) is proposed in graphs on several genera in this family. In Malesia the family is this volume. represented by 18 genera and 183 species. Keys to the genera This ' new look' vol um e differs from the already published and the species are provided and in the larger genera i.e. A1icro­ volumes in several points. The cover is full-colour and depict a sorum and Selligllea regional keys are presented. Loxogramma, a (somewhat blurred) frond of Dal'Gllia trichomanoides. This vol­ genus generall y inc luded in the Polypodiaceae is here consid ered lime is 5 mm narrower than those al ready published and the as belonging to the family Loxogrammaceae. The family Daval­ paper is of better quality. The text run across the page rather than liaceae, pp. 235-276 is dealt with by H.P. Nooteboom. Three the two column format of the previous volumes. Also the print of genera belonging to this family occur in Malesia of which Dava/­ the species descriptions is la rger. I feel that volume three is an /ia with 23 species is the largest. A key to the genera and to the improvement on the previous volumes of this series. species for each genus is provided. For Davalha 3 1 SEM photo­ Although numerous species in this volume are restricted to the graphs arranged in four plates illustrating the sori are given. The rich Malesian flora the distribution of many taxa extends beyond small nearly cosmopolitan family of aquatic ferns, the Azol­ this geographical region. The result is that this fl ora has a much laceae, pp. 277-284, by R.M.K. Saunders is represented in wider appeal than just the Malesian region. Not on ly this volume Malesia by a single species. Notes on reproduction, fossils, phyl­ but the entire series is a must for everyone interested in ogeny, vegetative and reproductive structures and life cycle, pteridology. chromosomes, uses and taxonomy are presented in the general part of the treatment. The monotypic family Cheiropieuriaceae, J.P. ROUX pp. 285-286, for which a family and species description is pro­ National Botanical Institute, Compton Herbarium, Private Bag vided is treated by lE. Laferriere who also presented the next X7, Claremont, 7735 Republi c of South Africa family, the Equisetaceae, pp. 287-288. EqllisetllUl in Malesia is represented by one subspecies only, E rGl11osissimlll11 subsp. Fungi of debi/e. In the family Matoniaceae, pp. 289- 294, two genera are distinguished with two species each. This family is restricted to Volume 1A Introduction, Classification Malesia. X.c. Zhang and H.P. Nooteboom presented the Plagi­ Volume 1 B: Introduction , Fungi in the Environment ogyriaceae. pp. 295- 316, a monogeneric fam ily with 11 species Volume 2A Catalogue and Bib li ography of Australian Macrofungi: of which seven occur in Malesia. 1. Basidiomycola spp. Several of the families are pre-empted by short but adequate notes on one or more aspects such as distribution, habitat and Published jointly by the Australian Biological Resources Study and ecology, fossi ls, taxonomy and chromosomes. In the Poly po­ the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organiza­ diaceae the Illorphology and anatomy of the rhizome, rhi zome tion . indument, fronds, lamina indument, venation, sori, sporangia and spores (by G.A. van Uffelen), all characters of importance from a These three volumes constitute th e introductory volumes of a diagnostic point of view are briefly di scussed. The list of refer­ major work, which will eventually comprise 60 volumes of ences provided for each family I find invaluable. The li st, information on th e Fungi of Australia. The first volume, lA, is arranged alphabeticall y by author, provides the reader with a dedicated to Dr P.H.B Talbot, a South Afri can-born mycologist, concise directory to modern literature on aspects ranging from who emigrated with his family to Australia in 1960, to take lip a ecology to monographs. post as Senior Lecturer at the Waite Agricultural Research Insti­ The genera within each fami ly are arranged in an alphabetical tute of the University of Adelaide. He died on 7 August 1979. sequence rather than a phylogenetic one. Perhaps this is to be Volume IA contains a brief hi story of mycology with special understood as no satisfactory classification has as yet been pro­ reference to the development of classification from before posed for many of these families and for the sake of consistency Micheli to the present time in which fungi are placed in three they are arranged a lphabetically. Only in the Davalliaceae do we kingdoms viz. Protoctista. Chromista and Eum ycota. Thi s is fol­ see the subdivision of the genus into two subgenera. AI.so in the lowed by keys to the Orders of fungi and an extensive bibliogra· generic trentments the species are arranged alphabetically. phy. This, in turn, is followed by the hi story of the taxonomic We now have become accustomed to the thoroug h taxonomy study of the Australian fungi, biology of fungi , Biogeography of 186 s. Afr. J. Bot. 1999,65(2) fungi and fossil fungi from Australasia. Each chapter has an work of this magnitude must be seen as a major contribution. extensive list of references. The sc ience of Mycology origi nated in Europe with its relative ly Volume 1B contains thirteen accounts of fungi in diverse envi~ cool wet climate where fungi may be encountered throughout the rOllments such ilS fresh water, plant parasites. herbivore gut summer. With its dry cl imate and long distances between cent­ inhabiting fu ngi's, mycotoxin producing fungi an d fungi as a ers, a comprehensive stud y of Australian fungi mu st have source of food for mammals. req uired co nsiderable effort and pe rseverance. Vo lume 2A, dedicated to the Australian Mycologist Dr John The fungi occurring on the co nti nents South of the Eq uator Walker, is devoted mainly to a catalogue and bibliography of have received relatively little attention. That the species that Australian Macrofungi mainly Basidiomycota; a section on mis­ occur in these areas are diverse and as fascinating as those better cellaneous Aphyllophozales, and another secti on on Extra Aus­ known from north of the Eq uator is becoming more evide nt with tralian species associated with Eucalyptlls. An extensive list of studies by local and visiting mycologists fiom the Northern references follows. Hemisphere. This is the type of information that wi ll appea r in All three vo lumes are strongly bound in pale green covers with the futu re vo lumes of Fungi of Australi a. That many species of the title in whi te letters and an attractive pa inti ng of some fun gi. fungi fou nd in Aust ral ia are also found to occur in Afri ca so uth The Orders of Australi an fungi are printed inside the front cover of the Equator and ill South Ame rica is self-evident. The appear­ and facing page together wi th the volume num be rs in which they will appear. Other information such as the names of the Execu­ ance of these volumes frol11 Aust ralia must, therefore, be greeted tive Editor, Volume Ed itor and Editonal Assistants ap pear on the with enthusiasm. They can on ly promote the knowledge of fung i next page followed by th e Co ntents, names of contributors, illus­ of the Southern Hemisph ere and shoul d be valuable additi ons for trators, Editorial Comm ittee and the Introduction setting the reference on the shelv es of every library of those institutions se ries, Editorial Conve ntions, Con tent and Format and Acknowl­ where fungi are being stu died. Thei r contents are clearly pre­ edgements. se nted and most readab le. The publication of the ' Fungi of Australia', mu st be hailed as a The price of SA 69.95 per volume fo r hard cover and SA 54.95 majo r contribution to Mycology from a relatively small and for soft cover may be high for South African individuals but they 'young' continent. Major advances in Mycology have been made will be a so urce of valuable information for many years in the ove r the past 50 years and bearing in mind that large parts of future. Australia are dry and very sparsely inhabited, the production of a G.c'A. Van Der Westhui zen