CEO's Epistle to the Fungophiles: October 2000

Fungal taxonomy is extremely complex, with only a fraction of the world's species even described in the literature. Mycologists are constantly discovering new information dictating a change of genus or species, or a new variant. Molecular data from DNA studies is adding to the volume of information. We mere mortals do our best to keep up. This is nothing new, nor is it exclusive to mycology. The following excerpt is taken from Popular History of British Lichens by W. Lauder Lindsay, M.D., published in 1856.

"Observations were imperfectly made, or were coloured and perverted by the dominant idea. Fruitless discussions were entered into on the reproductive functions, based on erroneous or imperfect data: each author built up a new classification and devised a new nomenclature. As a necessary consequence, genera and species have been in a constant state of transition, both as regards name and position in classification. Some Lichenologists, whose dominant tendency has been the splitting up of species, and the devising of new names, have been constantly creating new subdivisions of the family, new genera, new species and new varieties, thus adding materially to the complexity of the nomenclature and classification; others whose minds led them to generalize, have, on the other hand, been as actively employed in fusing together or combining certain genera and destroying others, thus contributing towards a simplification of the natural history of the Lichens."

Lumpers and splitters. They've always been with us. The French have a saying "plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose"; the more things change, the more they remain the same.

On a more esoteric level, some biologists are putting forth the concept of the Phylocode, an evolutionary tree of organisms. It's a bit controversial. You can find a description of the (biological) Tree of Life on Wikipedia.

Scott Redhead wrote a piece entitled "The Phylocode: A Commentary" in the May/June issue of Inoculum, journal of the Mycological Society of America. You can find it, and much more, at https://msafungi.org/. In another direction, the Mycological Society of America and the North American Mycological Society (NAMA) have recently put together a Joint Commission on Common Names of Fungi. Lorelei Norvell touched on this subject when she spoke to us this spring. The goal is to apply consistent common names to frequently found North American fungi. Thus we can be assured that "shrimp russula" means the same thing to you as it does to your friend in Minnesota. The taxonomic classification can change, but the taxon remains the same, as does the common name. Seems like a practical approach and those involved are to be commended.

In the meantime, FFSC's Beginner/Intermediate Study Group meets monthly at the Museum — check the calendar for dates and times! Hope to see you there.