FUNGOID PESTS OF CULTIVATED PLANTS. 71 



LILY OF THE VALLEY CLUSTEK-CUPS. 

 Mcidmrn Convallarice (Schum.), PI. V. fig. 81. 



The Lily of the Valley is very rarely attacked by this parasite in 

 Britain, although it is occasionally seen ; but on the Continent it has the 

 reputation of being a destructive pest. 



No Uredo form or teleutospores have yet been affiliated to this species 

 of cluster-cup. 



The cups are clustered together on paler spots of the leaves, chiefly on 

 the upper surface, and the white fringed cups are filled with bright orange 

 aecidiospores, presenting under the microscope the most elegant appear- 

 ance. The aecidiospores are globose, minutely warted (20-25 n diam.). 



It is to be hoped and anticipated that remedial measures will not be 

 called for. 



The area of distribution includes Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Finland, 

 and North America. 



Gard. Chron. July 5, 1884, with figs. ; Grevillea, xiv. 2 ; Sacc. 

 Sytt. vii. 2945 ; Plowr. Brit. Ured. 264. 



SNOWDROP WHITE MOULD. 

 Botrytis galanthina (B. & Br.), PL VI. fig. 88. 



This mould appears to have first been made known in 1873, when it 

 was detected on the bulbs of Snowdrops, attacking the outer coats and 

 destroying them. At first it threatened to become very destructive in the 

 North, but has never given much trouble in the South. 



The threads of the mould are shortly branched in the upper portion 

 turning brownish. The branches are somewhat thickened upwards, bear- 

 ing the obovate spores in clusters about the apices, each spore or conidium 

 being seated upon an elongated spicule. The conidia are hyaline and 

 subglobose or obovate (15-18 x 10-11 /*). 



The mould attacks also growing plants, as soon as leaves and flowers 

 appear above ground, stopping the flowering and the proper development 

 of the leaves. Then a delicate white mould is seen to cover the leaves 

 and spathes. Later on numerous minute black sclerotia are formed in 

 the tissues of the decaying leaves and the outer bulb scales. 



Some impetuous author has called this fungus Sclerotinia galanthina 

 before a single cup of the Peziza has ever been seen, or existed, except in 

 his own fertile imagination. We do not intend to follow him into fairy- 

 land, but adhere to the Botrytis until it falls away. Massee calls the 

 mould Botrytis cinerea, and the Peziza Sclerotinia Fuckeliana.* (See 

 fig. 10.) 



Ann. Nat. Hist. 4th series, xi. p. 346 ; Grevillea, ii. 139 ; Gard. 

 Chron. Mar. 2, 1889, p. 275 ; Mass. PL Dis. 159 ; Sacc. Syll. iv. 705. 



CROCUS WHITE MOULD. 

 Botrytis Croci (Cke. & Mass.). 



This mould was found upon the dead leaves of Crocus in the autumn 

 of 1887; but it is just possible, acknowledging its relationship, that it 



* Journ. R.H.S. xxvi. 1901, p. 41, fig. 4, and p. xxxvii; also 1902, xxvi. p. 731 

 g. 306. 



