151 



stalk or erect portion is from 300 to 350 u in length, and 30 to 

 50 u thick, and from its apex radiates a whorl of ten to twenty 

 bristly, one-celled branches, of about the same length, but in 

 average only three to live u thick (excepting the much stouter 

 base), which are placed at right angles to the stalk." " In the 

 stalk of these stellar hairs appears to be the principal seat of the 

 fungus, for it is frequently so much invaded by it that very little 

 of the original contents remains. Arriving at the summit the 

 fungal threads grow spirally around the bristle-like stellar 

 branches, frequently occupying all in the whorl, and twisting 

 around them as closely and regularly as ' beans or hops around 

 the poles ' When developed luxuriously the threads branch and 

 anastomose profusely, producing parcels of brown accumulated 

 cells, which impart a still darker tint to the leaves and other 

 parts. All that remains finally are small heaps of globular spores 

 of five to six u diameter, adhering to some of the bristles. The 

 spiral twist of this microscopic climber is from left to right almost 

 unexceptionally ; occasionally some of the bristles themselves are 

 so twisted, or several together, but this may be due to the screw- 

 like growth of the fungus." " The mycelium likewise invades the 

 leaf structure, frequently tilling the cells and destroying the 

 epidermis, when it imparts to these parts a blackish tint, which 

 is owing to the colour of the threads and spores. In this character 

 it exhibits affinity to Fumago salicina, and probably also to 

 Pleospora It erhrau m." 



Stereum hirsutum, Fr., var. aurantium. A pale orange- 

 coloured woody fungus on old bark of the Sheaoak, Casuarina 

 quadrii-alvis. 



Mount Lofty Ranges, August, 1887. A well-known species, 

 but the locality and host are probably new. 



Stereum amcenum {Leo.), Sacc. 



Mount Lofty Ranges. The species appears to be new for the 

 province. 



PoLYSTiCTis ORNAMOMEUS, Scicc. On rotten timber of Stringy- 

 bark, Eucalyptus ohliqua. 



Mount Lofty Ranges, August, 1887. This species is new for 

 the province. 



POLYSTICTIS SANGUINEUS (//.), Fr. 



Lake Eyre, Pandappa, August 2, 1887. 



TrAxMetes piispidula, 7ier^. An orange-coloured widely looped 

 fungus, living on the ground or very rotten timber in the sandy 

 scrub. 



Williamstown, October, 1888. Species new for South Aus- 

 tralia. 



