1890.] occurring in the Neiyhhourhood of Simla. 101 



the Puccinia, I have discovered six other species, all on the higher 

 Fhanerogamia, most of them apparently new. 



1. Aecidium complanatum, nov. sp. 

 On Pinus longifolia, Roxb. 



This Aecidium, on the needles of Finns longifolia, is extremely com- 

 mon in Simla, and, indeed, it is rare to find the host free from it. I 

 have once only seen it on the stem (var. corticola) and my further re- 

 marks refer only to the variety on the needles. The Aecidium may he 

 found from autumn to June. A minor crop of aecidia is produced in 

 November on the needles developed in spring, and although numerous 

 in certain localities is not by any means so abundant in general as a 

 second crop M^hich commences in February and which gradually reaches 

 a maximum development in May. The crop commencing in autumn is 

 associated with, well marked spermogonia, while that commencing in 

 February is apparently without them. 



The needles of the host are annual in this region falling from May 

 to June, that is just before the rains set in. At this time the new 

 needles are emerging from their brown scaly covering, and are about 2 

 to 3 inches long, and, growing rapidly, entirely replace the needles of 

 the year before in July. (I should here mention that a minor evolu- 

 tion of young shoots and needles occurs in autumn, about November). 

 These newly developed needles bear no sign of attack until the middle 

 of August, when many of them, in favoured localities, may be seen bear- 

 ing paled areas with spermogonia, which long precede the eruption of 

 peridia. After May the dying needles still adherent may still of course 

 be seen bearing peridia ; but these are old, and are either empty or 

 contain only a remnant of aecidiospores. In July, when all the old 

 needles have fallen, there is no vestige of the parasite left. 



The aecidia are large, flat, prominent bodies, reddish yellow in 

 colour, and borne on paled portions of the needles. Each needle bears 

 from 1 to 8 peridia, mostly on the lower or lateral surface. Their 

 length coincides with the long axis of the needle and is very various. 

 The peridia are usually about l/5th inch (5 m.m.) in length, but are 

 sometimes as much as i/2th an inch (12*7 m.m.) in length, and in height 

 from the surface of the needle 1/lOth inch (25 m.m.). 



The mycelium is confined to the paled areas of the needle, and does 

 not enter within the endothelial sheath. The hyjDhae ramify extensively 

 among the parenchymatous cells between the endothelial sheath and 

 the hypodermal cells. They do not appear to do any injui-y to these 

 parenchymatous cells. ' There are no haustoria. 



