studies in Discomycdcs II. J. S. Bayliss Elliott. 265 



Habitat. Cones of Pinus sylvestris. Tan worth-in- Ar den. 



This 's closely allied to P. Mcrcurialis (Fuck.) Bond., and also 

 to Mollisia atrata (Pers.) Karst., with its numerous varieties, and 

 allied species whose habitats are herbaceous stems. 



Growing on the same cone in close relation with this Discomy- 

 cete were crowds of small black pycnidia belonging to the genus 

 Phoma and on the older specimens of these the young apothecia 

 of the Discomycete could be seen, growing either out of the top 

 or the sides (fig. 11); the inference seems justifiable that these 

 pycnidia are the conidial stages of the Discomycete; the 

 external appearance of the pycnidia even in microscopic detail 

 resembles that of the Discomycete. 



The pycnidia are erumpent and in many instances a scar 

 similar to the one seen in connection with the pycnidium was 

 also to be seen below the apothecium (fig. 11). 



Phoma conicola. Pycnidia erumpent, gregarious or scattered 

 spherical, -2 mm. diameter, sessile, olive brown or black, 

 excipulum parenchymatous, rough with round hair-like out- 

 growths from the cortical cells, similar to the excipulum of 

 Pyrenopeziza plicata Rehm f. conicola, at first closed, then 

 open, margin fringed with septate colourless hairs which con- 

 verge: pycnospores colourless, oblong 3 x 1-1-5/11, some slightly 

 bent, continuous, situated on short conidiophores, arising from 

 the walls of the pycnidium (fig. 116, 12, 13, 16, 18). 



Habitat. Fallen cones of Pinus sylvestris. Tanworth-in-Arden. 



Under very moist conditions the pycnospores ooze out and 

 form a glistening white ball on the top of the pycnidium : this 

 elongates, topples over and the pycnospores are dispersed in 

 the surrounding moisture: they germinate within twenty-four 

 hours in rain-water (fig. 18). 



The pycnidia need far moister conditions for development 

 than the apothecia, and by varying the humidity of the moist 

 chamber containing a cone on which both of these forms were 

 growing, either the one or the other prevailed. 



Pyrenopeziza plicata Rehm has previously been found in 

 Britain, but apparently not recorded. I have seen specimens 

 from the herbarium of W. B. Grove collected by him at the 

 Edge Hills on dead Angelica stems, 1884, and by C. B. Plowright 

 collected at Kings Lynn on some dead herbaceous stems in 1873. 



Phoma conicola n. sp. 



Pycnidia gregaria vel sparsa, erumpentia, sphaerica, 0-2 mm. 

 diam., sessilia, olivaceo-brunnea vel nigrescentia, excipulo 

 parenchymatico, vesiculis e cellulis extimis oriundis obsito, ei 

 Pyrenopezizae simillimo, primo clausa, dein aperta, margine 

 pilis achrois septatis convergentibus fimbriato. Sporulae 



