eleven types of disease causing organisms, ranging fromparasitism of vascular plants by other vascular plants to

bacteria, fungi and viroids. The book then goes on to coverdetection, diagnosis, and epidemiology of plant pathogens aswell as their economic effects.The book then describes epidemiology, the measurement of

disease and inoculum control in the host pathogen system.Pathogenicity systems are an extremely complex phenomenonand it is important to understand what adaptations in physi-

ology of both the host and the parasite are required for eithera compatible or incompatible interaction. The book clearlydescribes how pathogens locate, penetrate, and colonize their

hosts leading to in-depth sections covering the morphology,biochemistry, and molecular biology of plant diseases. Thefinal chapters cover plant resistance, both constitutive defence

and active defence mechanisms ranging from physical bar-riers to the oxidative burst, the hypersensitive response, andphytoalexins. The book culminates with a chapter describingmethods of disease management through cultural, agronomic,

genetic, and molecular techniques to overcome the devas-tation caused by plant pathogens. The book finishes by ad-dressing future challenges facing plant pathologists in

understanding the full range of interactions that can beestablished between hosts and pathogens throughout evol-utionary time.

This book is just one of a number of paperbacks availablefor introductory courses in plant pathology and does notespecially stand out from them. Whilst I found the bookinformative, and on the whole well constructed, I did not find

the subject matter written in an exciting and adventurousmanner, and the black and white diagrams and pictures wereuninspiring. However, this book does offer an accessible and

example-led approach to enhance the understanding ofstudents, and encourages the reader to learn more about thesubject by providing clear references and links to source

material. Both the contents and index sections are clear, andthe glossary and reference sections are an excellent sourceof information. A good, solid text, and a valuable library

purchase.

David Parker2

Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Wales,Aberystwyth, Ceredigion SY23 3DD, UK.

DOI: 10.1017/S0953756205232367

DISCOVERY OF PENICILLIN

The Mould in Dr Florey’s Coat : The remarkable true story of

the penicillin miracle. By Eric Lax. 2004. Little Brown,London. Pp. 389. ISBN 0 316 85925 7. Price : £ 16.99.

The story of the discovery of penicillin always catches theimagination: the wartime background, scarcity of resources,

intrigue, jealously, and the scale of human benefit. There arenumerous biographies of Alexander Fleming; my favourite isthe carefully researched and well-written one by Maurois

(1959) which was first published in French, but supplementedby the detective work on where the original strain came from(Hare 1970) – almost certainly from C. J. La Touche’s lab-

oratory immediately below Fleming’s where La Touche wasworking on fungi from houses inhabited by asthma patients.

Howard Florey’s name is less familiar than Fleming’samongst the general public, but it was Florey, along with

Ernst Chain and the less-lauded Norman Heatly, who startedto turn a dream into reality in Oxford.There is already a critical biography of Florey (Macfarlane

1979), but not one to my knowledge written in a racy, en-

grosing, and imagination-grabbing style. This new biography,by a professional writer and the author of a best-sellingbiography of Woody Allen, is something not to be missed.

Although extremely carefully researched with references tonumerous letters, interviews, and publications, the angle isvery much one of the interactions and relationships between

the principals involved. The story proceeds from the earlyobservations, problems of production of sufficient pencillinfor human trials, arguments over securing funding and staff,

discussions with pharmaceutical companies (especially in theUSA), through to the Nobel prize and Florey’s peerage andpresidency of the Royal Society.There are many sidelines and insights throughout. The

signifiance of the ‘coat’ in the title was that if the UK hadbeen invaded in World War II, spores were to be rubbed intothe fabric of coats so that the strain could be transported

without suspicion and then re-isolated. There are some veryminor irritations, for example the use of the world ‘penicillin ’when the fungus Penicillium is being discussed, but they

hardly detract. It would have not been out of place alsoto make clear that the correct name for the fungus isP. chrysogenum and not P. notatum.This is a fascinating and enjoyable account of one of the

most significant episodes in the history of mycology. I cannotcommend it too highly.

Hare, R. (1970) The Birth of Penicillin and the Disarming of Microbes.

George Allen & Unwin, London.

Macfarlane, G. (1979)Howard Florey: the making of a great scientist.

Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Maurois, M. (1959) The Life of Sir Alexander Fleming, discoverer of

Penicillin. Jonathan Cape, London.

DOI: 10.1017/S0953756205242363

EDIBLE AND MEDICINAL MUSHROOMS

Mushrooms: Cultivation, nutritional value, medicinal effect,

and environmental impact. By Shu-Ting Chang & Philip G.Miles. 2004. CRC Press, Boca Raton., Fl. Pp. 451. 2nd edn.ISBN 0 8493 1043 1. Price: US $ 159.95, £ 97.

The name ‘S.-T. Chang’ is almost synonymous with the cul-

tivation and use of mushrooms. Celibrating his 75th birthdayin 2005, he has devoted a life-time to the energetic promotionof mushrooms for food, medicine, and human well-being. Heintroduced the term ‘neutriceuticals ’ and the concept of a

‘non-green revolution’. His first major text, Chang & Hayes(1978), immediately became the standard reference work. Hesubsequently collaborated with Philip Miles to produce what

was essentially a revision of Chang & Hayes, but under adifferent title with a new publisher (Chang & Miles 1998).This new book is represented as a second edition of that last

work, but again has a fresh title. It is destined to be similarlytreated as the essential reference work and practical guide tomushroom cultivation and exploitation.More than 3000 mushrooms are said to be ‘prime edible

species ’, of which only 100 are cultivated commercially, andonly ten of those on an industrial scale. The global economic

2 A postgraduate student currently undertaking research for thedegree of PhD in the Institute.

Book reviews 255

value of the industry is now staggering, and the rises havebeen especially dramatic in the Peoples’ Republic of China;

details of changing tonnage and values for various species andcountries are provided, but reliable data are difficult to secureand there are few figures since the late 1990s. The reason forthis rise in consumption is a combination of their value as a

food as well as their medicinal and nutriceutical (i.e. dietarysupplement) values, aspects discussed in the second and thirdchapters of the book. An extensive overview of fungal

biology, which would have benefited from a modern outlineclassification, more up-dating, and the addition of morerecent references (the latest in this section is 1997), precedes

general chapters on: Substrate and mycelial growth; Sexu-ality and genetics of basidiomycetes ; Mushroom formation(surprisingly with no reference to the classic text of Moore

1998); Culture preservation; and World production of ediblemushrooms. Many of these chapters are very broad in scope,for example, the Mushroom formation section also coversbreeding, pests, and diseases.

Almost half of the book is then devoted to particularmushrooms, with separate chapters on: Agaricus ; Lentinula ;Volvariella ; Flammulina and Pholiota ; Pleurotus ; Tremella ;

Dictyophora ; Ganoderma lucidum ; Agaricus blazei3 andGrifola frondosa ; and Other cultivated mushrooms. Theseaccounts have been upated much more thoroughly, with re-

ferences into 2002. While the contents in the different ac-counts vary and might be viewed as somewhat eclectic, theyrange from hands-on information on cultivation methodsthrough accounts of their natural history and traditional uses.

The personal practical experience, depth of knowledge, andenthusiasms of the authors shine in these chapters, which areto me the heart of the book. I have one personal plea for any

future revision: if author citations of scientific names are to beused (and I see no need for them at all in such a book), theyshould be checked by a specialist – the number of slips in

these is substantial and sadly they are likely to be copied byothers so perpetuating mistakes.The final chapter, Technology and mushrooms, en-

compasses lignocellulose degradation and utilization, genetictechniques and their application, and a salutary commentaryon the problems of further encouraging the cultivation ofmushrooms in developing countries. I would not be so

pessimistic, and have been immensely impressed by what hasbeen achieved over the last 20–30 years – in no small partdue to the tireless personal campaigning of Shu-Ting

Chang. This new edition of the essential reference workmycologists involved in mushroom cultivation turn to willsurely also play a role in helping promote mushroom

cultivation and use.

Chang, S.-T. & Hayes, W. (1978) The Biology and Cultivation of

Edible Mushrooms. Academic Press, New York.

Chang, S.-T. & Miles, P. G. (1989) Edible Mushrooms and their

Cultivation. CRC Press, Boca Raton.

Moore, D. (1998) Fungal Morphogenesis. Cambridge University

Press, Cambridge, UK.

DOI: 10.1017/S095375620525236X

Impact of the Family Agaricaceae (Fr.) Cohn on Nutrition and

Medicine. By Maryna Didukh, Solomon P. Wasser &Eviatar Nevo. 2004. A. R. G. Ganter Verlag KommanditGesellschaft, Ruggell. [Distributed by Koeltz Scientific

Books, Konigstein.] Pp. 205, figs 22 (some in colour).[Biodiversity of Cyanoprokaryotes, Algae and Fungi ofIsrael No. 5.] ISBN 3 906166 19 8. Price: E 68.

In many ways this book complements that of Chang & Milesreviewed above. Following an overview of the nutritional

value of mushrooms of the family Agaricaceae, which shouldleave no one in any doubt as to the value of eating mush-rooms, the most utilized genera are treated in turn, withAgaricus naturally taking pride of place with 66 pages

devoted to it. A particularly detailed account is givenof A. brasiliensis and why that name was introduced in2002 for the species hitherto wrongly identified as A. blazei ;

much information is included on the original descriptionand the distinction from A. subrufescens. A. brasiliensis is nowbeing widely cultivated for its anti-tumour properties and

detailed information of trials from the medical literatureare included (and with references into 2004). Seven otherspecies of Agaricus are treated less exhaustively, with the

emphasis on medicinal properties and recent researchrather than nutrition. Medicinal properties of the follow-ing other genera of the family are covered in a similarmanner: Melanophyllum (one species), Chlorophyllum (one),

Leucoprinus, Leucoagaricus, Macrolepiota, and Lepiota.Especially valuable are the three Appendices. The first

brings together national regulations regarding the use of

dietary supplements from medicinal mushrooms (those forthe USA and European Union are given in detail), as wellas pertinent WHO guidelines. The second addresses safety

aspects, with submerged cultures commended for consistentand safe mushroom products. And the third, the types ofdietary supplements available from Agaricaceae and a 22page listing of suppliers.

The medicinal value of members of the Agaricaceae tendsto be overshadowed by the well-known and widely usedproducts from species such as Ganoderma lucidum, but this

review will do much to promulgate awareness of the value ofAgaricus species, especially A. brasiliensis. It merits a widecirculation in the mushroom industry and also health food

outlets specializing in natural products.

3 The nomenclaturally correct name for this species is Agaricusbrasiliensis ; see the following review of Didukh, Wasser & Nevo(2004) in this issue.

Book reviews 256