1912-1913-] Notes on Microfungi from the Forth Area. 25 



V.— NOTES ON MICROFUNGI FROM TEE 

 FORTH AREA. 



By Mr D. A. BOYD, Corresponding Member. 



(Read April 23, 1913.) 



The Microfungi referred to in the following notes have all 

 been obtained by myself in the respective localities mentioned, 

 and are either additions to the list for the Forth Area, or 

 otherwise sufficiently interesting to be worthy of notice. 



Protomyces bellidis Krieger. — In March last I observed on 

 the roadside near Kilmahog, Callander, some living plants of 

 the common Daisy (Bellis perennis) with pale spots on their 

 leaves. When examined microscopically, the affected portions 

 of the leaves were found to contain resting-spores of the type 

 of Protomyces. This species was added to the British list from 

 specimens obtained in 1899 in Ayrshire. 1 When occurring 

 on wild plants, it seems usually to cause less disfigurement of 

 the affected leaves than when growing on cultivated daisies 

 in gardens. 



Sclerotinia Curreyana (Berk.) Karst. — The sclerotia of this 

 species appear to be very common in dead culms of the 

 Common Eush {Juncus conglomeratus) in many parts of Scot- 

 land. Being usually wholly hidden within the culms, they 

 are very liable to be overlooked, but their presence may be 

 suspected when the rushes are of a very pale -yellow colour. 

 If the pale -coloured culms are lightly drawn between the 

 thumb and forefinger, one or more of the hard sclerotia may 

 generally be detected within. These are irregularly elliptical, 

 black externally, but of a pale-pink colour within, and were 

 formerly described as a distinct fungus under the name of 

 Sclerotium roseum Kneiff. Each sclerotium remains quiescent 

 in the decaying culm until spring, when it is capable, under 

 favourable circumstances, of producing one or more cups. 

 These are stipitate, of a brown colour, and burst through the 

 external tissue of the rush. The late Mr F. Currey found as 



1 ' Transactions of the British Mycological Society,' vol. i. p. 115. 



