PINE BRANCH-TWIST. 



445 



June, long yellow sporocarps of the fungus appear, which 

 eventually turn reddish yellow, and become raised like cushions 

 until the epidermis of the host splits and so allows the dis- 

 semination of the spores, whilst turpentine exudes from the 

 split. As the growth of the pine-shoot is checked at the split, 



Spring shoots of Scots pine attacked by Melampsora pinitorqua, Bostrup. 



Fig. 214. Part of shoot in middle Fig. 215. Entire shoot () exuding resin, 



of June with sporocarps (a). The needles have been pulled off. 



but goes on normally elsewhere, the infected part becomes 

 concave, and the healthy part bends over it. If the attack is 

 slight the sickly place may heal over, and the branches recover 

 their erect position. Often, however, splits follow one another 

 so frequently that the shoots become twisted in various direc- 

 tions. At length it may happen that the bark is attacked all 



