ANTHRACNOSE OF CUCURBITS. 13 



noted that the watermelon fungus possessed setse and decided that 

 it was a Colletotrichum rather than a Gloeosporium. Since, how- 

 ever, the specific name of the watermelon anthracnose antedated 

 that of the bean anthracnose by seven years or more, he followed a 

 suggestion made by Ellis in 1890 and applied the name Colletotrichum 

 lagenarium (Pass.) Ell. and Hals, to the causal organisms of 

 both melon and bean anthracnoses. While all later work indicates 

 that Halsted was in error in assuming the identity of the anthracnose 

 fungi of bean and melon, it appears that his change of generic name 

 was well warranted. Saccardo, however, does not recognize this 

 name. 



Following Saccardo 's opinion regarding Colletotrichum oligo- 

 chaeium, Prillieux and Delacroix (39), publishing in 1894 on the 

 disease as it occurred on melons, considered the above and Gloeo- 

 sporium lagenarium as separate and distinct species and used the 

 former name because their specimens possessed setose acervuli. 

 Their description of the disease leaves no doubt as to its being 

 identical with the one under consideration. 



In his index of 1910, Saccardo (42, v. 19) lists both of the above 

 species and thus recognizes two distinct fungi causing anthracnose 

 of cucurbitaceous hosts in addition to Berkeley's Gloeosporium 

 orbicular e. 



In a comparative study of anthracnose fungi in 1898, Miss Stone- 

 man (50, p. 88) cultured forms from watermelon and cucumber 

 and concluded them to be identical. By similar tests, she found 

 bean anthracnose to be quite distinct. She went further, how- 

 ever, and described (50, p. 94) as a new species Volutella citrulli 

 Stoneman, a form found on a citron fruit in the Ithaca market. 

 According to her description, this fungus differed from Colletot- 

 richum lagenarium in that dense raised stromata were formed on 

 lesions and in certain cultural features. This is recognized as a 

 species by Saccardo (42, v. 19) in his 1910 index. Since Colletot- 

 richum lagenarium is known to occur on citrons, it seems quite possi- 

 ble that the above may be identical with it. On the other hand, no 

 inoculations were reported and this Volutella may have been a 

 saprophyte. 



Evidence that Halsted was mistaken in assuming the identity of 

 bean and cucurbit anthracnoses was secured by C. O. Smith (9, p. 28) 

 and Sheldon (46) in 1904, by Edgerton (13) in 1909, and by Kriiger 

 (28, pp. 246, 294) and Shear and Wood (45) in 1913 as a result of 

 unsuccessful cross inoculations. 



In 1910 Potebnia (38, p. 82), in Russia, published his opinion that 

 Colletotrichum oligochaetum Cav. and Gloeosporium lagenarium (Pass.) 

 Sacc. and Roum. were the same species, the latter being the non- 

 setose form. 



