Corticioid Fungi Described by M. J. Berkeley

Abstract

Summary. Ninety species of Corticium Fr. described by the Rev. M. J. Berkeley alone or together with others are considered. The holotype of each species is cited and the position or synonyms of the name are indicated. The following new combinations are proposed: Phanerochaete emplastra (Corticium emplastrum Berk. & Br.); Ceraceomyces simulans (Corticium simulans Berk. & Br.); and Porostereum lilacinum (Corticium lilacinum Berk. & Br.) Lectotypes are designated for the following: Corticium chtysocreas Berk. & Curtis: USA, South Carolina, Ravenel, Fung. Car. V:27; Corticium ephebium Berk. & Curtis: USA, Alabama, Peters 6050; Corticium glabrum Berk. & Curtis: USA, Car. Inf., Ravenel 2404; Corticium scutellare Berk. & Curtis: USA, Ravenel 1584 and Corticium tremellinum Berk. & Rav.: USA, Ravenel 1649. All specimens in Kew herbarium. The Rev. Miles Joseph Berkeley was born in 1803 at Biggin Hall near Oundle in Northamptonshire. He was educated at Cambridge, ordained as an Anglican priest and was finally appointed as Vicar of Sibbertoft, Market Harborough, about 25 km from his place of birth. He died in July 1889. A brief presentation of Berkeley's life was published by Ainsworth (1979). Berkeley, 'the Father of British Mycology', was almost of the same age as Elias Fries, 'The Linnaeus of Mycology', who was born in 1794. They corresponded over many years and also exchanged collections. During his long life he was an immensely productive mycologist. Berkeley described, mostly together with other mycologists or collectors, an enormous quantity of new taxa in all groups of fungi from different parts of the world. These included hundreds of corticioid species, principally in the genera Corticium Fr. and Hydnum L. The generic concept of the corticioid fungi at that time was simple. Smooth species were normally placed in Corticium or later, when Peniophora was established by Cooke (1879), this genus was used for taxa with metuloids. The genus Hydnum was adapted both for resupinate and pileate species with strongly spinulose or denticulate hymenophores. For species with shorter teeth, the genus Odontia Fr. was applicable, and those with colliculose hymenophores the genus Grandinia Fr. Only the basidiome was used, with very few exceptions, as a morphological criterion by Berkeley and the micromorphology was of minor significance. Spore measurement and the structure of basidia and cystidia were rarely mentioned in the description of the corticioid fungi. This would explain why so many of the species today are either found to belong to other groups or synonymized. A considerable problem in interpreting Berkeley's species is that many specimens have been more or less damaged by early chemical treatment against insect attack. Further, the fungi were often pressed like flowers, a faulty method. After Berkeley's death, some 'herbarium names' were described by Cooke and others, but these species are not dealt with in this paper. All specimens mentioned below are preserved at Kew, unless otherwise indicated. Isotypes or other material in the protologue are as a rule not studied or mentioned,