HOTSON. — CULTURE STUDIES OF FUNGI. 235 



somewhat variable in shape and grouped together, forming a sort of 

 ball. Moreover, he considers that the bulbils of Helicosporangium 

 parasitieum described by Eidam are merely abnormal forms of P. 

 aspergittiformis, such as are often found among other Mucedineae. 



Another Papulospora, which was found in the tubers of Dahlia, 

 has been described under the name of P. dahliae by Costantin ('88). 

 The bulbils of this fungus are spherical, brownish-red in color, with 

 two or three large central cells. All the cells are said to contain 

 granular protoplasmic material at first, but the central cells soon 

 become strongly colored violet and more densely filled with granular 

 material and oil globules, and eventually the peripheral cells become 

 empty and transparent. There were found associated with this 

 fungus colorless septate spores which taper at both ends and corres- 

 pond very closely to those described by Saccardo (Michelia II, p. 20) 

 under the genus Dactylaria. Here again there is little evidence that 

 the investigation was carried on with pure cultures and it is doubtful 

 that the conidia and the bulbils described belong to the same fungus, 

 since they were only found associated and not actually connected. 

 It would thus appear that the only contribution on Papulospora 

 that shows any evidence of work with pure cultures is that of Bainier 

 I '07 



(c) Pyrcnomycctous Forms. 



The first evidence of the definite association of a bulbil with one of 

 the Pyrenomycetes as an imperfect form, is found in the description 

 of Melanospora Gibelliana, published by Mattirolo in 18S6, — although 

 Zukal ('86 a few months previously had announced that he had 

 found bulbils in connection with Melanospora fimicola Hansen, and 

 M. Zobelii Corda, but gave no description of them. The fungus 

 studied by Mattirolo was found growing abundantly on decayed 

 chestnuts and was said to produce not only perithecia of Melano- 

 spora but also bulbils, conidia and chlamydospores. In appearance 

 and development these bulbils are said to resemble closely those of 

 Baryeidamia, but with more variations. Their color is pale yellow 

 when young, brownish-yellow at maturity, and they are often 100 /* 

 in diameter. Mattirolo considered them immature perithecia, but, 

 although he employed the most varied methods of experimentation, 

 he was unable to make them develop into melanosporous perithi cia. 

 The conidia said to be connected with this fungus are describe! as 

 small, colorless, spherical spores, on bottle-shaped sterigmata, resem- 

 bling closely those mentioned by Eidam as belonging to Baryeidamia. 



