Mycological System (1821) - Page 18

passing from one to another. For example, Dædalea can be divided into more genera than Agaricus due to the form of the hymenium, and so on.

These centers are the foundations of the entire system. We call an Order (e.g., Cantharelloidei Fr.), a genus It is easily evident that genera in this system are not to be invented at will, but are fixed by nature itself and determined as to number and proportion. I refer genera to four classes:
1. ORIGINAL GENERA, which exhibit some essential organ, e.g., Agaricus the lamellae (hymenial hymenium), Polyporus the pores (uterine hymenium); Rosa the calyx receptacle, Fragaria the berry-like receptacle, Helleborus, Ranunculus, etc. Such are the grasses in Linnaeus.
2. INTERMEDIATE GENERA, which join two original ones, e.g., Dædalea joins Agarici and Polypori, Kobresia joins Carices and Scirpi, Trichophorum joins Scirpi and Eriophora, Oxytropis, and almost all those of more recent authors among the grasses.
3. SUBORDINATING GENERA, which arise from an original genus that has been subdivided; they participate in its essential character but differ in accidental traits. Thus Anemone (whose essence is a 3-leaved involucre and polypetalous corolla) contains Hepatica, Pulsatilla, etc.; Arenaria contains Alsinella, Halianthus, etc.; Parmelia contains Lecanora, Borrera, Cetraria, etc. These we call tribes.
4. ABERRANT GENERA, which are distinguished by some luxuriant or mutilated part, or by another heteroclite note from the order; aberrant genera of Ranunculus are Ficaria, Myosurus; of Potentilla they are Tormentilla and Sibbaldia; of Convallaria they are Majanthemum, etc. (All aberrations are easily reduced by numbers, according to the original number, which for example is 2 among the Acotyledons, 3 among the Monocotyledons, 5 among the Dicotyledons, and their products, etc.) Solorina, etc. (Köleria, Dædalea) composed of various radii, artificial, and not to be considered in the primary disposition. It must never be neglected that every kingdom, order, genus, etc., in the system must be taken as an individual.