Ainsworth G.C. et al. The Fungi. An Advanced Treatise. Volume IVA. A Taxonomic Review with Keys: Ascomycetes and Fungi Imperfecti

Academic Press, 1973. — 621 р.Volume IV of this treatise in which an attempt is made to provide generic keys for all the major groups of fungi is unique amongmultiauthorworks. Never before in modem times has such a distinguished group of world specialists on the taxonomy of fungi provided for the professional mycologist such a comprehensive survey of fungal classification at the generic level.
It may be noted that although contributors were asked to conform to a standard pattern, the need for differences in the approaches to some groupsand also the well-known individualism of taxonomists which we were loath to suppress-led to contributions which show a rather wide and, at times, radical variation in treatment. In addition, although contributors to allied groups consulted with one another, a number of genera, and even families, are duplicated by different authors-that is, they appear in the keys of more than one of the higher taxa. Such duplication, as any student of the fungi knows, is, indeed, a reflection of currently unresolved taxonomic problems. These differences and duplications should, however, help rather than hinder the many who will have occasion to consult this volume which is comprised of two parts, lV A and lV B, each part being published separately.
The two parts of Volume IV complete the treatise as planned, and although there is no intention of issuing new editions of any of the volumes the possibility of updating the treatise by one or more supplementary volumes is being considered.