CHAPTEE XII. 



NEW DISEASE OF GEASS. 



Isaria fuciformis, Berk. 



DURING the last few years the grass of the southern 

 counties of England has been attacked, as far as this 

 country is concerned, by a curious and possibly new form 

 of disease. Some farmers, however, state that they have 

 noticed the malady for many years past ; in one instance 

 twenty years has been mentioned. The disease has ap- 

 peared chiefly on sandy and chalky soils, and is apparently 

 absent from clay districts. The grasses chiefly attacked 

 by the disorder are the Festucas, and notably Festuca 

 ovina, L., a valuable pasture grass especially relished by 

 sheep. The fungus which causes the disease does not 

 generally grow on young grass, but the growths appear 

 to be almost peculiar to the old grass, first appearing in 

 September, and continuing in ordinary seasons till the 

 following January. In mild winters the fungus may be 

 seen on the grass till March. 



The Rev. M. J. Berkeley originally described this 

 fungus on grass in the Journal of the Linnean Society for 

 1873, vol. xiii. p. 175, under the name of Isaria fuci- 

 formis. The word Isaria is derived from the Greek, and 

 simply means equal, in reference to the simple equal 

 growth of many of the species ; and fuciformis is founded 

 on the word phukos, the Greek name for sea- weed ; the 

 word fuciformis therefore means, like a Fucus or sea-weed. 

 The specific name is an appropriate one, for the resem- 

 blance of Isaria fuciformis, B., to some of the small linear 

 red sea -weeds is strong. Mr. Berkeley describes the 



