54 



J. 



IS 



at tKe apeXj mucronate ; margins entire or with a few obscure 

 teetli; ^ to 1 in. long, foom two-tMrds to nearly as wide; dark 

 dull green above, paler beneath, perfectly glabrous ; petiole 

 in. long, reddish. Inflorescence a terminal compound umbel 

 i'to 1^ ins, across; peduncle glabrous, | to 1 in. long. Elowers 

 unknown. Fruit pointed, ovoid, ^ in. long, black, shining. 



Wilson discovered this remarkable Yiburnum in 1904 in Western 

 China, on his second journey for Messrs. Yeitch. It has recently 

 been named in honour of the head of that firm, Sir Harry Yeitch. 

 Wilson (under his No. 3733,Yeitchian journey) notes that he found 

 it on mountains up to 9000 feet, but that it was rare. It is per- 

 fectly distinct from any other evergreen Yiburnum in the small- 

 ness of its leaves, which give it rather the aspect of a privet than 

 a Yiburnum. It has recently been added to the Kew collection by 

 purchase from Coombe Wood. Judging by the quick and easy 

 way cuttings have taken root, even m late autumn, its place in 

 gardens should be assured, especially if it proves to have any 

 ornamental qualities at all commensurate with its interest and 

 distinctness. 



IX.— THE GENUS ATICHIA. 



A. D- Cotton. 



Intkoduction. 



During the early part of last winter an interesting organism 

 was forwarded to Kew from Dominica by Dr.^ Prancis Watts, 

 Commissioner of Agriculture for the West Indies. The plant 

 proved to be a new species of Atichia^ a genus of fungi of obscure 

 affinity, and until recently but imperfectly known. As species of 

 Attchia have never before been receiv,ed at Kew for examination, 

 it has been thought advisable to give an account hot only of the 

 West Indian plant, but also of the genus as a whole, together 

 with a conspectus of the known species. 



The specimens forwarded to Kew were found by Mr. J. Jones, 

 Curator of the Botanic Station, on a plantation of limes at Sen- 

 house Estate, Dominica, and sent to Mr. F. W. South, at that time 

 Mycologist in the Imperial Department of Agriculture for the 

 West Indies, The organism occurred on the upper side of the 

 lime leaves, and appeared as small black star-shaped bodies 

 4-5 mm. in diameter (Fig. 1). The leaves themselves were infected 

 with the scale Lepidosaphes becJciiy and as the fungus was usually 

 attached to the latter it was thought that it might possibly be 

 parasitic. Several other fungi were present on the leaves for- 

 warded, some of which were connected with the scale insect others 

 not, but all, with the exception of the organism mentioned above, 

 were referable to well-known fungus genera. The star-shaped 

 bodies resembled a lichen such as Collema in appearance, being 

 gelatinous and swelling when moistened after the manner of 

 species of that genus. In structure, however, they showed a 

 resemblance to certain members of the Red Algae (Florideae) 

 being composed of branched moniliform filaments more or less 



