148 paper and excellent binding make the book a pleasure to handle. There are a few instances where my own experience of habitats, mainly of discomycetes, would be slightly at variance with the authors' but these are matters of very minor significance . Probably the fault was mine in not supplying additional information to the authors. I look forward to trying out the book on micro fungi from various host plants and substrates during the current season. I am sure it will introduce me to many species I have previously overlooked. Malcolm C Clark My corrhiza , by Richard M Jackson and Philip A Mason (1984). Studies in Biology Series, no.159. London: Edward Arnold. Pp. 60. ISBN 0 1731 2876 3. Price, £2.95. The inclusion of a volume on rnycorrhiza in this series is long overdue, particu- larly in the light of the explosion of interest in the topic over the last twenty years . The authors have filled this gap quite successfully by producing a very succinct summary of the important features of the four main types of mycorrhizas without the bias and over-emphasis towards sheathing (ectotrophic) forms which is an understandable feature of larger works. A brief introductory definition and explanation of concepts is followed by chapters on sheathing, vesicular-arbuscular, ericaceous and orchid types. In each case compact descriptive material is supplemented by information about ecological aspects and the nature of the fungal partner, laced with interesting diagrams and photographs where appropriate. Then follows a chapter about the isolation and cultural physiology of mycorrhizal fungi, which leads naturally into the topic of synthesis. But the latter seems to overlap into, and becomes rather dominated by, the physiology of host/fungus interactions of sheathing rnycorrhizas in field situations, a subject which is treated in more depth along with interactions of other types in a sub- sequent chapter. A final chapter on applications gives the reader a glimpse of the potential for agricultural crops, forestry practices and the planting of amenity trees. The possible significance for land reclamation and even the use of mycorrhizal agarics for food purposes are not forgotten. The reader is left in no doubt as to the far- reaching importance of mycorrhizas! I find little to fault in this book. One could criticize trivial points such as the ever-present mention of clamp connections (are they really important?) and the reproduction of a (fortunately, only one) diagram from a 'classic' work of 1909, with a quite inadequate descriptive caption. But these are insignificant in the context of the whole, which takes the reader on a brief yet revealing and informative journey through the topic in the best traditions of this series. Geoffrey Hadley Ustilaginales of the British Isles , by J E M Mordue and G C Ainsworth. Pp. 96 with 172 photographs. Kew: Commonwealth Mycological Institute (1984). This is a completely up-dated version of 'The British Smut Fungi' by Ainsworth and Sampson published by CMI in 1950 , and which has been out of print for some time . The size and format has changed, the small text-figures have been dropped in favour of twenty plates comprising 172 photographs showing both symptoms and ustilospores many under SEM, keys to species have been provi- ded , the descriptions of species revised, and accounts of 16 additional taxa which have been found in the British Isles during the last thirty-five years have been added.

ISBN 0 1731 2876 3. Price, £2.95. Richard M Jackson, Philip A Mason, ,Mycorrhiza Studies in Biology Series 159 (1984) Edward Arnold,London 60

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Page 1: ISBN 0 1731 2876 3. Price, £2.95. Richard M Jackson, Philip A Mason, ,Mycorrhiza Studies in Biology Series 159 (1984) Edward Arnold,London 60

148

paper and excellent binding make the book a pleasure to handle.There are a few instances where my own experience of habitats, mainly of

discomycetes, would be slightly at variance with the authors' but these arematters of very minor significance . Probably the fault was mine in not supplyingadditional information to the authors.

I look forward to trying out the book on micro fungi from various hostplants and substrates during the current season. I am sure it will introduce me tomany species I have previously overlooked.

Malcolm C Clark

My corrhiza , by Richard M Jackson and Philip A Mason (1984) . Studies inBiology Series, no.159 . London : Edward Arnold. Pp. 60 . ISBN 0 1731 2876 3.Price , £2.95.

The inclusion of a volume on rnycorrhiza in this series is long overdue, particu-larly in the light of the explosion of interest in the topic over the last twentyyears . The authors have filled this gap quite successfully by producing a verysuccinct summary of the important features of the four main types of mycor-rhizas without the bias and over-emphasis towards sheathing (ectotrophic) formswhich is an understandable feature of larger works.

A brief introductory definit ion and explanation of concepts is followedby chapters on sheathing, vesicular-arbuscular, ericaceous and orchid types. Ineach case compact descriptive material is supplemented by information aboutecological aspects and the nature of the fungal partner, laced with interestingdiagrams and photographs where appropriate.

Then follows a chapter about the isolation and cultural physiology ofmycorrhizal fungi, which leads naturally into the topic of synthesis. But thelatter seems to overlap into, and becomes rather dominated by, the physiologyof host/fungus interactions of sheathing rnycorrhizas in field situations, a subjectwhich is treated in more depth along with interactions of other types in a sub-sequent chapter.

A final chapter on applications gives the reader a glimpse of the potentialfor agricultural crops, forestry practices and the planting of amenity trees. Thepossible significance for land reclamation and even the use of mycorrhizal agaricsfor food purposes are not forgotten . The reader is left in no doubt as to the far-reaching importance of mycorrhizas!

I find little to fault in this book. One could criticize trivial points such asthe ever-present mention of clamp connections (are they really important?) andthe reproduction of a (fortunately , only one) diagram from a 'classic' work of1909 , with a quite inadequate descriptive caption. But these are insignificant inthe context of the whole, which takes the reader on a brief yet revealing andinformative journey through the topic in the best traditions of this series.

Geoffrey Hadley

Ustilaginales of the British Isles , by J E M Mordue and G C Ainsworth. Pp. 96with 172 photographs. Kew: Commonwealth Mycological Institute (1984).

This is a completely up-dated version of 'The British Smut Fungi ' by Ainsworthand Sampson published by CMI in 1950 , and which has been out of print forsome time . The size and format has changed, the small text-figures have beendropped in favour of twenty plates comprising 172 photographs showing bothsymptoms and ustilospores many under SEM, keys to species have been provi-ded , the descriptions of species revised, and accounts of 16 additional taxawhich have been found in the British Isles during the last thirty-five years havebeen added.