14 THE FHYCOMYCETES 



Whiffex, Alma J., "A new species of Nephrochytrium, Nephrochytrmm 

 aiiranthmi,'' Am. J. Botany, 2.?; 41-44, 1941. 

 "Cellulose decomposition by the saprophytic chytrids," /. Elisha Mitchell 

 ScL Soc, 57:321-329, 1941a. 

 Wilson, O. T., "Crown gall of alfalfa," Botaji. Gaz., 70:51-68, 1920. 



Doubtful Chytrids 



The most interesting ors^anism amoncr those whose relation- 

 ship with chytrids is doubtful is Rhodochytrhnn spilanthidis. 

 This organism is abundantly prevalent every season in North 

 Carolina as a parasite on the leaves, stems, and flowers of rag- 

 weed, Ambrosia artemisiijoUa. It forms bright-red pustules, the 

 color being imparted by the presence of haematochrome. In 

 gross appearance it resembles the members of the Genus Ento- 

 phlyctis among the Rhizidiaceae. The zoospores, however, are 

 biflagellate and contain starch grains [Griggs (1912)]. The pos- 

 session of starch lars^ely influenced Grisras to relate it to the 

 Protococcoideae (Algae). Its ability to transform absorbed 

 sugars into starch does not appear to present an unsurmountable 

 obstacle, however, to regarding this organism as a fungus. Be- 

 cause of its biflagellate zoospores it is not a chytrid. 



LITERATURE CITED 



Griggs, R. P., "The development and cytology of Rhodochytrium," Botan. 

 Gaz., 53: 127-172, 1912. 



LAGENIDIALES 



This group of fungi ^\•as previously known to mycologists as 

 the Ancylistales. It has long been recognized, however, that the 

 type genus, Ancylistes, which includes three species, differs rather 

 widely from other members of the order. Ancylistes closteriiy 

 the most thoroughly studied form, is an intracellular parasite of 

 Closterium. Zoospore formation has never been observed WTthin 

 the numerous hyphae which project from infected host cells. It 

 has recently been found [Berdan (1938)1, however, that the 

 extramatrical hyphae of AncyHstes function as conidiophores 

 and prodlice conidia, \\hich are forcibly discharged. This fact 

 has necessitated the removal of Ancylistes to the Order Ento- 

 mophthorales. 



