145 
On dry dead leaves of Phormium tenax, New Zealand (Herb. 
Cooke, 7’. Kirk, nos. 206 ! and 328 !). 
The mycelium begins to grow in the epidermal cells which it 
destroys; the cuticle is at first raised in the centre, and forms a 
white spot in a black disc; afterwards it is burst open about the 
middle to form an irregular pore. 
This fungus presents a considerable resemblance to Pirostoma 
Farnetianum Pollacci, on Pandanus. See Pollacci, in Atti Ist. 
Bot. Pavia, 1897, v. 195, pl. 7, figs. 11, 15, 16, and Sace. Syl. 
xiv. 996. 
Fic. 6.—a, Asci and spore of Gloniella microtheca, from Thiimen’s 
specimen on Arundo Donax ; 6, spores of Pirostoma viridisporum, from . 
irk, no. 206; ¢, Hriothyrium pelliculosum, (1) pyenidium, showing 
margin and pore, x 180; (2) cells of margin; (3) spores and sporophores. 
991. Phoma Phormii, Sacc. 
Coniothyrium Phormium,* Cooke, in Grevill. 1879, vii. 96. 
LeproTHyrium PuHormil, Grove. 
Pycnidia densely aggregated, 200-300» diam., black, lens- 
shaped, subcuticular, raising the cuticle in a little ridge whic 
at length splits away in various forms, mouthless, but the upper 
part at length disappearing. Spores very numerous, embedded 
in mucus, singly colourless, hardly coloured in mass, ovoid in 
face-view, oblong in profile, often more or less flattened, faintly 
guttulate, 3-4 x 1-2; no sporophores visible. (Fig. 7. 
On dead leaves of Phormium tenax, in the Botanic Gardens, 
Brussels (specimens of Phormium stated to be in the University 
Herbarium, Edinburgh), Cooke, Herb. no. 71! 
This fungus resembles no. 990 (Pirostoma viridisporum) so 
closely in external appearance that one is tempted to regard it 
as an early stage of that species; the fabric of the pycnidium 
and its mode of origin are the same in both cases, but the 
obstacle to such a belief is that no intermediate forms of spores 
could be detected. At any rate it could be called a “ forerunner,” 
standing to the Pirostoma exactly as some species of Phyllosticta 
stand to Phleospora (see Journ. Bot. 1918, p. 206). The myce- 
lium originates in the epidermal cells, fills them completely and 
destroys them; then, as the pycnidium grows, the cuticle is 
pushed up and cracked away from the subjacent layers of cells. 
The texture of the several-layered pycnidial wall is of loose small 
roundish dark-purplish-brown subopaque cells, very variable 
* This should be taken as if printed ‘‘ Phormii.” 
