288 PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN' ACADEMY. 



dealing with a form related to Monascus, which has not been recog- 

 nized by subsequent investigators. Since, however, • the morphology 

 and development of his " Helicosporangium " corresponds so exactly 

 with that of the bulbil under consideration and since also the "para- 

 sitism" of his plant on "beets," seems at least very questionable, 

 the writer feels little hesitation in concluding that he was dealing with 

 a bulbil, in all probability identical with the one under consideration. 



Harz ('90), in his account of Physomyces heterosporus (Monascus 

 heterosporus (Harz) Sehroter), is of the opinion that this plant is 

 closely related to Helicosporangium parasiticum Karsten, and further 

 suggests that Papulospora sepedonioides Preuss, belongs near this 

 fungus also, the difference consisting in the fact that the central cell 

 of the latter is said to contain but one or only a few " endospores." 



The bulbils described and figured by Zukal ('86), under the name of 

 Dendryphium bulbiferum, also resemble this form in appearance and 

 mode of development, except that it does not produce the lateral 

 protuberances from the developing central cell, at least they are not 

 mentioned or figured, and that it is described and illustrated as being 

 intimately connected with hyphae producing spores of the genus 

 Dendryphium. 



In this connection it may also be mentioned that the spores of 

 Stcpjianoma strigosum, Wallr. (Asterophora pezizae Corda, Syntheto- 

 spora electa Morgan, Asterothecium strigosum Wallr.) show stages 

 that resemble quite closely certain conditions in the development 

 of P. parasitica. Figure 35, Plate 5, for example, is an abnormal 

 spore of Stephanoma and, except for its size and color, might easily 

 be taken for an imperfectly developed bulbil of the form under con- 

 sideration, such as is represented by Figure 14, Plate 5. 



A corresponding resemblance may also be seen between imperfectly 

 developed bulbils of the present species, in which the cortical cells 

 have failed to surround the central cell completely, and the immature 

 bulbils of Acrospeira mirabilis described above. 



Papulospora aspergillieormis Eidam. 



Plate 7, Figures 1-20. 



This bulbil was obtained from several different sources, chiefly on 

 onion leaves, wheat chaff, and oat straw from the vicinity of Cambridge, 

 also on straw from Claremont, California. It is not at all rare and 

 can easily be obtained by placing straw in a moist chamber. It is 

 readily distinguished by its relatively large, irregular, sclerotium-like 



