TORREYA 



Vol. 41 July- August, 1941 No. 4 



Texas Ghytrids 



John S. Karling 



While chytridiaceous fungi appear to be almost universal in dis- 

 tribution, no species except Physoderma inaydis and members of 

 the genus Synchytrium have been reported from the southwestern 

 part of the United States. It was accordingly with particular interest 

 that the writer collected samples of water containing small amounts 

 of vegetable debris during a visit to Texas in April, 1941, to deter- 

 mine the presence and relative abundance of these fungi in regions 

 which are quite dry for the greater part of the year. Collections were 

 made from ground tanks, water troughs, creeks, and roadside 

 ditches in Bastrop and Travis counties in central Texas. These col- 

 lecting grounds are normally dry during the summer and until late 

 fall, but during April and May are usually well filled with rain 

 water. The collected samples were baited with bleached, tender 

 segments of young corn leaves, lens paper, and cellophane and 

 brought to New York for intensive study. In the thirteen samples 

 collected there was found a large number of saprophytic and para- 

 sitic chytrids, three of which appear to be new species. Two of these 

 are particularly noteworthy, because they parasitize larger chytrids. 

 In addition, another species was found which so far has never been 

 reported for the New World. 



Rozella Cladochytrii Karling (sp. nov.). Fungus parasiticus; 

 sporangiis in matricis cella solitariis, sphaericis, 10-40/x, ovoideis, 

 ellipsoideis, 10-15/x x 15-35/x, pyriformibus, obclavatis, hyalinis 

 et levibus cum papillis exeuntibus numero una usque ad tres ; pariete 

 sporangii ex matrice plerumque non discernendo. Zoosporis e 

 posteriore uniflagellatis, raro (protoplasmate irregulariter scisso) 

 bi- et multiflagellatis, obclavatis, 3-3. 5/a x 1.8-2^, aguttulatis; 

 flagello 14/A longo; zoosporis emergentibus maturis quasi flumine 



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