FUNGOID PESTS OF CULTIVATED PLANTS. 181 



Cherry Laurel, &c, forming thin sooty spots on the upper surface with 

 much the appearance of Fumago vagaus. The creeping mycelium is 

 composed of a mixture of colourless and brown threads, divided into 

 chains of cells. The receptacles are erect and bristle-like, acute, and 

 fringed at the mouth, but genuine sporidia have never been found, so that 

 it remains a doubtful species. Minute sporules or conidia have been met 

 with, but the life-history of the parasite is still very much of a mystery. 



It is advisable to pick off and burn these sooty leaves, which are 

 usually conspicuous. 



Joum. B.H.S. iv. p. 254. f. 10 ; Sacc. Syll. i. 352 ; Cooke, Hdbk. 

 No. 2807. 



Laurustinus Leaf-spot. 



Phyllosticta tinea (Sacc), PL XVI. fig. 6. 



The spots are formed on the upper surface of Laurustinus leaves, and 

 are either roundish or irregular, and bleached, becoming whitish. The 

 receptacles are dot-like and flattened, scattered over the surface. The 

 sporules are minute and oblong (4 — 5x1 /x). 



Except in Britain this parasite is only recorded for Italy, where it 

 was first discovered. 



Sacc. Syll. iii. 75. 



Another spot (Phyllosticta tineola) of a similar kind is known to 

 occur on leaves of Laurustinus in France. The spots are vague and 

 ochraceous, but the sporules are cylindrical, and very much larger 

 (15x3^). 



A third species has also been recorded in France (Phyllosticta 

 Pioumeguerii), with grey indefinite spots, and medium- sized sporules 

 (7-8x3^). 



Privet Leaf-spot. 



Phyllosticta Ligustri (Sacc), PI. XVI. fig. 7. 



Although Privet has the reputation of suffering from the attacks of at 

 least a dozen different species of fungi, it is seldom that it is a victim 

 in this country, escaping both cluster-cups and rust, for occasional leaf- 

 spots. 



The above common species has variable spots which are soon pale and 

 encircled by a tawny margin. The receptacles are dot-like and minute, 

 and the sporules are narrow, rounded at the ends, with two nuclei 

 (6-8x3//). 



It has occurred in Italy and Portugal. 



Sacc. Syll. iii. 107 ; Grevillea, xiii. 72. 



The most probable other form of leaf-spot is caused by Septoria 

 Ligustri, but that has not hitherto been recorded for Britain, although 

 known in France and Belgium. Similar spots have been found upon 

 leaves in this country, but sporules have never been discovered. 



The Privet cluster-cup, JEcidium Ligustri (Str.), has only been found 

 in Germany, and a Uredo has also been observed in the same country. 



