SOME REMARKS ON THE PUCCINI^. 249 



Puc. Galii^ against which there may be, and probably are, no 

 objections to be laid. Both the two species of Saccardo, as 

 inserted in his work, are according to my frequent additions of 

 knowledge occurring continually, one preceded by a Fuccinia, the 

 other never. 



We have now Cooke's Microscopic Fungi, last edition, giving 

 four Pucclnias on Galium ; Saccardo's Sylloge gives only two. 



We now come to the latest date to see what further records 

 may be found. About Puc. Galiorum (Lk.) everything is most 

 satisfactory, so it is about Puccmia Valantice (Pers.), which cannot 

 be mistaken for the other plant, inasmuch as it has large bullate 

 patches of sori, as contrasted with the sori of P. Galiorum, which 

 are sparse and small. Even an ordinary observer would scarcely 

 fail to detect the difference. 



With regard to Puccinia aciuninata (Fckl), said to grow on 

 GaliiDii saxaiile. Prof. Saccardo gives it as a synonym of Puc. 

 Valantice (Pers.). I have very critically examined my specimens 

 gathered at the Forest of Dean, Welshpool, and Barmouth, and 

 confess that every example of G. saxatile seems to correspond 

 wdth Puc. Vala?iti(E, not only in the external aspect of the fungus 

 but also in the spore. The spores of my specimens are without 

 coloured peduncles, and only a few are acuminate. I hoped to 

 have gained assistance from the only plant of G. saxatile of 

 foreign growth. But on looking over it there is not an atom of 

 any fungus on it. Baron Thumen supplied it, and his earlier 

 work never was too accurate. So far, therefore, as my experience 

 goes, our Italian friend is right. I am open, however, to convic- 

 tion when an opportunity occurs of seeing Puc. acuminata (Fckl.). 

 May the chance be soon ! 



Let us now consider the so-called Puccinia difoi-mis (Fckl). 

 Is it a distinct species or is it not ? My own theory is clearly that 

 it is distinct, and not as Prof. Saccardo gives it, namely, a synonym 

 of Puc. galiorum. No one looking at Puc. galiorum, say, on 

 Galium cruciatum, and looking at Puc. difformis would take them 

 to be the same. The one is a brownish lump of sori ; the other 

 is like pitch or tar. On referring to the Handbook I see the 

 remark made about it, which says it is " Very distinct from either 

 Puccinia galiorum or P. Valantice, the sori are firm and compact, 



