HYPOCRELLA AND ASCHERSONIA. 207 



Perithecia flask-shaped, with, a long neck, up to '5 mm. deep, 

 O'2-O "25 mm. diameter ; asci 120-140 X 8-9 [>. ; part-spores 

 cylindric, becoming oblong-oval, 5-8 X 1 '5-2 [>.. Pycnidia 

 flask-shaped or oval, "25 mm. deep, 0'2 mm, diameter, 

 immersed, or with the apex in a projecting point ; pycnospores 

 fusoid, sharply pointed, 8-11 X 1 "5 [i.. Fleischeria sclerotioides 

 V. Hohnel, Fragmente zur Mykologie, VIII. Mitt., p. 26 

 (1909) ; Hypocrella scutata Auctt., non Cooke. 



This species occui-s in two well-defined forms, according to the 

 type of Lecanium on which it is growing. On pulvinate scales, 

 such as Lecanium nigrum, it takes the two-thirds globose or conico- 

 pulvinate form of H. Reineckiana, from which it is distinguished 

 by its coloiu- and minutely verrucose surface. But on large flat 

 scales it may be scutate, only slightly elevated in the centre. 

 This latter form appears to have been generally recorded under 

 the name of Hypocrella scutata, e.g., by Penzig and Saccardo, 

 Icones Fungorum Javanicorvun, judging from their figvu-e. The 

 brown internal zone apjaears to be well-developed only when the 

 perithecia are formed. Pycnidia and perithecia occur commonly 

 in the same stroma. It gives a yellow or yellow-brown extract 

 with potash. It resembles Hypocrella palmce, in that the scale 

 is frequently lifted off the leaf by the growth of the fungus, its 

 position being subsequently indicated by a ridge round the 

 stroma ; on the scutate stromata this sometimes results in the 

 production of a definite vertical margin, about • 5 mm. high. 



This species has been well described by von Hohnel under the 

 name of Fleischeria sclerotioides, from specimens on a scale insect 

 on Ficus, Tjibodas, Java, the name being based on the supposi- 

 tion that it was the ascigerous stage of Aschersonia sclerotioides. 

 But from specimens kindly lent me by Prof, von Hohnel, it is 

 clear that these are identical with the present species, which is not 

 connected with Aschersonia sclerotioides. 



In Herb. Berlin specimens of the Aschersonia stage on Morus 

 indica and Mimosa sensitiva, from Amani, and on Acacia Lebbek 

 from Ngamba, are included under Aschersonia sclerotioides. It is 

 common in Ceylon in the neighbourhood of Hakgala (5,600 feet) 

 on Lecanium olese on Allophylus zeylanicus, in company with 

 Hypocrella javanica and Hypocrella Reineckiana ; it has also been 

 found on Paralecanium, calophylli on Myristica, Hakgala, and on 

 the same insect on Eugenia sp., Namunukuli. 



In my preliminary paper this species was referred to as Hypo- 

 crella m,arginata, on the supposition that its Aschersonia siB-ge -Vt&B 

 identical with Aschersonia m,arginata E. & E. A re-examination 

 of the specimens has, however, shown that Aschersonia marginata 

 is identical with Aschersonia sclerotioides, and is consequently the 

 Aschersonia stage of Hypocrella Reineckiana. 



Distribution. — Java, Herb, von Hohnel. East Africa, Herb. 

 Berlin. Ceylon, Herb. Peradeniya. 



6(9)21 (28) 



