CORDYCEPS CLAVULATA (Figs. 833 and 834). Mr. Ritchie 

 also submits specimens of the Black scale (Saissetia nigra) with im- 

 perfect clubs of a Cordyceps, no doubt undeveloped Cordyceps 

 clavulata, the only species known to occur on a scale insect in America. 

 The history of the species is as follows: 



Schweinitz (1834) under the name Sphaeria clavulata described 

 a plant growing on oak branches. No specimen exists in his herba- 

 rium, and although he took the dead host for the subiculum, the 

 description can refer to nothing but this plant as no doubt correctly 

 interpreted by Peck (1876). Peck found it growing on scale insects 

 on Ash, and his specimens were distributed in de Thumen's exsicc. 

 1258, and Roumeguere, 4782. In the meantime Berkeley (1861) had 

 found it in Britain on the Wych-elm growing 

 on a "sclerotoid substance" which Cooke 

 states is a female Coccus. Berkeley named 



JU 



Fig. 833. Fig. 834. 



Cordyceps clavulata Fig. 833, the scale insect bearing the clubs. Fig. 834, same enlarged 6 diameters. 



it Cordyceps pistillariaeformis and gave his usual scanty description, 

 but a very good figure in Ann. & Mag., Plate 16 (1861). Cooke 

 recognized Berkeley's specimen as the same as Peck's collection, but 

 employed Berkeley's name. This is the only collection known from 

 England. I did not find it at Kew, but Cooke states in his day it 

 was preserved and labeled by Berkeley, Cordyceps pachybasis. In 

 this country it has also been collected by Dearness in Canada, Seaver 

 in North Dakota, but it is so small that it is rarely found. In Europe 

 fine specimens have been recently collected in Austria on Lecanium 

 and distributed (Wien, No. 1817). Our illustration (Fig. 833) is 

 made from these collections. The best developed specimens we have 

 noticed are in Peck's museum from which our enlargement (Fig. 834) 

 was made. As our figures tell the whole story, there is no use describ- 

 ing it. 



I believe there is but one other Cordyceps recorded on scale 

 insects, viz., Cordyceps coccigena, which was beautifully illustrated 



593 



