1 8 Journal of Agricultural Research voi. iv. no. i 



TAXONOMY OF THE FUNGUS 



The earliest mention of a Phoma fungus as parasitic on tomato fruit is 

 given by Plowright (1881). This fungus associated with three others 

 is given as the cause of a "black spot" upon the crown of the fruit, 

 and is described as follows : 



Phoma destructiva. Perithecia carbonaceous, minute, globose, spherical clustered 

 spores, hyaline, oval, cylindrical, binucleate, 5-6 mk. long, by 1.5-1 wide. 



Spegazzini (1881, pp. 67-68) published a description of Phyllosticta 

 hortorum, a fungus which he found parasitic on the leaves of the eggplant, 

 and Ellis and Everhart (1900) state that it is common on tomato leaves. 

 That there has been considerable confusion in regard to the identity of 

 Phyllosticta hortorum (Speg.) is brought out in a recent article by Harter 

 (1914), who sums up the situation in these words (p. 337) : 



If, therefore, any value is to be given to a comparison made by an author with his 

 own type specimens, it is safe to conclude that Phyllosticta hortorum has not yet been 

 found in this country. 



In view of this statement, it is doubtful whether the eggplant fungus 

 reported on tomato leaves was Phyllosticta hortorum (Speg.). 



Cooke (1885, p. 94) thus describes Phoma lycopersici {Phoma herharum 

 West.) : 



Caulicolus. Perithecia punctiform, black, densely gregarious, at first covered by 

 the cuticle, ultimately more or less exposed. Sporules lanceolate, binucleate (0.012 X 

 0.004 mm.). On stems of tomato. 



No mention is made of the occurrence of this fungus upon the fruit, 

 and the size of spores as given is about twice the average size of those 

 of the Phoma described in this paper. 



Peck (1887, p. S7) gives the following description of Phyllosticta 

 lycopersici as a parasite upon tomato fruit : 



Spots large, suborbicular, cinereous; perithecia minute, brown or blackish, opening 

 by a single or sometimes by two pores; spores abundant, oblong or elliptical, .00025 

 to .0003 inch long, .0001 to .00012 broad. Fruit of tomato. 



Except for slight differences in size and shape of spores, this description 

 is similar to that given by Plowright for Phoma destructiva. 



Marchal (1900) mentions a Phoma as the cause of a new disease of 

 greenhouse-grown tomatoes, but gives no specific name to his fungus. 



In order to determine if possible something more definite in regard to 

 the relation between Phoma destructiva Plowr. and Phyllosticta lycopersici 

 Pk., a type specimen of Peck's fungus was requested and kindly furnished 

 by him from the herbarium of the New York State Museum in October, 

 1914. This specimen (dated July, 1886) consisted of a small piece of 

 tomato fruit showing a portion of a diseased spot, the tissue of which 

 varied from Ridgway's buff ^ to olive brown in color. On account of the 

 age of the specimen and the presence of a foreign fungus in the tissue, 



' Ridgway, Robert. Op. cit. 



