57i 



well-known authority on fungi, who reports on it as 

 below. A fuller report will doubtless be published in 

 the Kew Bulletin. 



In the meantime the pest appears to be a serious 

 one. Mr. Massee suggests it is a stage in the life-cycle of 

 some species of Rosellinia, a genus which has supplied 

 some of the most injurious fungi we know. It is dis- 

 quieting to know that the fungus is doing damage in 

 West Africa also as that seems to estimate that it is a 

 plant of wide distribution. 



The nectria mentioned in the last paragraph of Mr. 

 Massee's report was a small orange-red fungus found 

 on the outer bark of a Hevea tree where there had been 

 an old wound and some of the wood was dead. It is pro- 

 bably harmless only attacking dead wood, as it is a 

 saprophyte. — ED. 



Fungus on Para Rubber from Singapore. 



The fungus proves to be an undescribed species of 

 Diplodia, and will be described as D. rapax. 



The general structure, habit and parasitic nature 

 suggest that the Diplodia is a stage in the life-cycle of 

 some species of Rosellinia. The lascigerous condition 

 may be looked for on thoroughly dead and dry wood 

 that had previously been attacked by the Diplodia form. 



In the first batch of specimens sent, the fungus was 

 sterile but fruit was present in abundance on the material 

 received on October 23rd. 



The same fungus, parasitic on Hevea, has just been 

 received at Kew from W. Africa, where it is said to 

 spread rapidly. 



The fungus sent in a match box is Nectria sanguinea, 

 Fr., a saprophyte. 



G. Massee. 



26.10.09. 



