Holmskiold Fungis Danicis

Theodor Holmskiold: Bulgaria fungi - Clavaria and Ramaria. 1790

Allegorical illustration

at the frontispiece

Allegorical illustration at

the dedication to the King

Short explanation of the inner structure of the Bulgaria fungi

This is the first Danish book with exact descriptions (Danish/Latin) and illustrations of these species of fungi. The manuscript to this fine work was finished already before 1770, but not until 1790 Holmskiold (1731-93) was persuaded to have the work printed and published only in few copies. The 33 copper plates were drawn by J. Neander, engraved by A. Heckel and the colouring in the even fewer copies were made by J.C. Bayer – summoned from Germany to colouring the Flora Danica service at the Royal Porcelain Factory, where Holmskiold was manager. The plates illustrate the appearances of the fungi during growth and ripening and a plate shows the inner structures.

After Holmskiolds death in 1793 the remaining copies and the plates were bought by Søren Gyldendal and together with a prepatory manuscript to a second volume with further 42 plates by J.C. Bayer all was published with the collective title: Beata ruris otia fungis Danicis.

The library has a original set of the book from 1790 with black and white plates, but with the allegorical illustrations coloured by Ellen Backe in 1955. Also a complete set of the plates in black and white + this incomplete set with coloured plates shown below.

These works were formerly at the Department of Plant Pathology.

Descriptio clavarianum - Description of Clavaria fungi:


Clavaria capillaris	Clavaris fragilis.a	Clavaria fragilis.b varietas lutea	Clavaria pistillaris



Clavaria fistulosa	Clavaria ophioglossoides	Clavaria mitrata.b varietas viridis	Clavaria galeata



Clavaria tremula	Clavaria contorta	Clavaria æquivoca	Clavaria capitata



Clavaria militaris	Clavaria digitata	Clavaria hypoxylon