All 



than a year old and these have failed to show the procUiction of any 

 form other than the Diplodia. Eight months ago some material was 

 received from West Africa at the Jodreli Laboratory, Kew Gardens; 

 this material consisted of a stem of the cacao plant which had been 

 badly attacked by Diplodia and on which the funj^us was producing 

 abundant perithecia grouped in stromata. Some of this material was 

 selectd and placed in a sealed jar. An examination at the end of six 

 months showed that the fungus was passing into an ascigerous condi- 

 tion. The formation of the asci in the same stromata as had previously 

 borne spores of Diplodia, coupled with the fact that asci could be 

 observed in process of formation in some of the perithecia on a 

 stroma while other perithecia on the same stroma had not yet got rid 

 of all of their Diplodia spores, left no room for doubt that it was the 

 ascigerous condition of the fungus. 



From the mode of arrangement of the perithecia and from the 

 nature of the stroma, asci and spores, the fungus has been classified 

 in the genus Thyridaria, Saccardo (Sphaeriaceae, Phaeophragmiae) 

 and has been named Thyridaria tarda, n. sp. The following 

 diagnosis of the fungus is here given : — Peritheciis monostichis, 

 stromate atroerumpente villosulo semi-immersis (3-7), ostiolo minuto ; 

 asci cylindraceo-clavatis sessilibus, 90-lOOx 12 microns, paraphysibus 

 (100-130 liiicrons longis) copiosis filiformibus obvallatis ; sporidiis 

 oblique monostichis, oblongatis, fuligineis, triseptatis, leniter con- 

 strictis, 19-20 X 6-7 microns. 



Diplodia [Lasiodiplodia) pycnidicus status est : — Sporis ellipticis, 

 utrinque obtusis, uniseptatis, baud constrictis, fuligineis 24-27 x 13-15 

 microns. 



[Translated). Perithecia monostichous, semi immersed (3-7) in a 

 black erumpent stroma bearing a covering of weak hairs, having a 

 minute ostiole, asci cylindrical-clavate, sessile, 90-100 x 12 microns 

 surrounded by abundant filiform paraphyses (IOO-130 microns long) ; 

 spores obliquely monostichous, oblong, fuliginous, 3-septate, slightly 

 constricted at the septa, 19-20 x 6-7 microns, 



Diplodia [Lasiodiplodia), is the pycnidial form Spores elliptical 

 obtuse at both ends, uniseptate not constricted, fuliginous, 24-27 x 13-15 

 microns. 



The Diplodia form is esentially the form which is destined for 

 rapid reproduction of the fungus. It does not appear to pass readily 

 into the ascigerous condition, as is evidenced by the failure hitherto 

 to reproduced the ascigerous condition in artificial media. This is, 

 however, not infrequently met with in the conidial and pycnidial 

 forms of ascigerous fungi in the tropics. 



The life-history is, however, not yet complete ; it is still necessary 

 to trace the development of the ascosporc. This work is being con- 

 tinued an<i will be publislu-d when it is cumpleted ;d<,)ng with an 

 d<JCount r>f the disease miok i --|)trieiil\ .is anVxtinj.; tli Pcii<4 lubbi i 

 plant. 



