492 THK SOOTY MOULD OF CITRUS TREES, 



Paraphyses hyaline or finely granular, elongated-clavate, as 

 long as asci and 9^ ju broad towards apex. 



Torula-, Coniothecium-, and lleterobotrys-stages occur. 



On living leaves of orange and lemon, particularly on upper 

 surface, also on branches and fruit; all the year round. Victoria, 

 New South Wales, South Australia, Queensland. 



Thei'e has been a considerable difference, and I might even 

 say change of opinion, as to the true nature and scientific position 

 of the fungus causing the " sooty mould " on Citrus trees. Pro- 

 bably it is due to different fungi in different countries; but as 

 far as I have examined specimens in Australia, they all seem to 

 be referable to the same fungus. Now what is this fungus 1 

 Having obtained the various stages of it and abundance of the 

 highest or perithecial stage, there is plenty of material for coming 

 to a definite conclusion, 



Meliola peiizigi, Sacc, is now recognised as the common " sooty 

 mould " in Europe and America, but the globular perithecia, and 

 the hyaline to brown sporidia 11-12 x 4-5 ^, distinguish it. 



Meliola citri, Sacc, causes the disease known in Italy as " mal 

 di cenere," on account of the ashy-grey crust formed by it; but 

 apart from that, the bay-brown perithecia and hyaline sporidia 

 do not agree with this one. 



Meliola came/ 1 ice, Sacc, has also been found on the leaves and 

 branches of Citrus trees, but the absence of paraphyses distinguish 

 it at once. 



Capnodium citri, Berk., and Desm., has been determined by 

 Dr. Cooke as being found on Citrus leaves in Victoria, but he had 

 no asci and no ascospores to guide him in his determination. 

 The published descriptions are so meagre, in the absence of the 

 most important reproductive organs, that it is rather difficult to get 

 distinctive characters for this species. The original description 

 by Berkeley and Desmazieres* mentions the peridia as being 

 elongated, mostly acuminate, conical or lageniform, and the 



* Jouru. Hort. Soc. Vol. iv. p. 252 (1849). 



