REVISIONS OF CEYLON FUNGI. 295 



of the type specimen of Hypomyces stilbiger in the Peradenij'a 

 Herbarium shows that it does bear conidia which reach 10 jx or 

 more, but that these are not the spores of the Stilbum. The 

 Stilhum is parasitized by a Cylindrocephalum ; this fungus 

 consists of a few hyaline, septate hyphse, about 3 [jl diameter, 

 which twine round the Stilbum stalk and head, and produce 

 solitary oval heads up to 13 x 7 [ji,, each containing up to 

 eight conidia in a parallel bundle ; these conidia arecylindric, 

 hyahne, and when mature measure 10-12 x 2 \)., but immature 

 conidia may be only 4^5 ^ long. 



This may be identical with Cylindrocc'phalum stellatum 

 (Harz) Sacc, recorded as parasitic upon Stilbum bulbosum and 

 Stilbum vulgar e, but the spores of that species are said to be 

 only 5 [^. long. It is evident from Broome's measurements 

 that he measured the spores of the Cylindrocefhalum,, an error 

 which may easily be made by any one who is not aware of 

 the possible presence of that species. After careful examina- 

 tion of specimens of the Ceylon Stilbum, to make sure of the 

 absence of Cylindrocephalum , I have found that the Stilbum 

 spores are really oval, but measure 1-5-2 x 0-75 ^. In that 

 respect it differs from Stilbum tomenfosum Schrad. 



Since Berkeley and Broome describe the ascospores as 

 multiseptate , it is evident that their specimens were immature. 

 Indeed, it is somewhat a difficult matter to find ripe peri- 

 thecia. though unripe specimens are fairly common. But they 

 gave a figure (Jour. Limi. Soc. XIV., tab. 6, lig. 29 c) which 

 shows an ascospore partly broken up into subglobose spores. 

 The co-type in the Peradeniya Herbarium is immature. When 

 mature, the spores are not multiseptate, but divided into 

 innumerable part-spores. 



Hypomyces stilbiger B. & Br. was the only species of the 

 subgenus Berkelella. Saccardo, in instituting Berkelella as a 

 genus, (I) refers to its former publication as a subgenus, (2) 

 describes Berkelella caledonica (Pat.) Sacc, and (3) adds 

 '* ad hoc genus spectat quoque Berk, stilbigera (B. & Br.)." 

 But these two species are generically distinct. Under such 

 circumstances, what is the type species of the genus Berke- 

 lella ? Are we to amend Berkelella to fit Hypomyces stilbiger^ 

 and so exclude Berkelella caledonica, which has four-septate 



6(3)12 (38) 



