94 



Mycologia 



black as described by Rehm. The blackening might easily be 

 due to age and weathering. Many other tropical specimens have 

 been studied which are apparently the same but in which the 

 perfect stage is lacking. These have been referred to 

 Aschersonia. 



Recently, since taking up a study of Porto Rican fungi, these 

 facts have again forced themselves to the front and more atten- 

 tion has been given to the matter. In looking over the literature 

 of the subject I find that Hypocrea phyllogena Mont. 2 which was 

 doubtfully recorded for North America in North American Flora 

 has every appearance of being the perfect stage of an Aschersonia 

 as recently described by Thaxter. The capitate apex of the ascus 

 which is characteristic of the perfect stage of Aschersonia is 

 especially evident in Montagne's illustration. When several years 

 after the description of Hypocrea phyllogena, Montagne founded 

 the genus Aschersonia* it was said to be related to Hypocrea 

 (which at that time included Hypocrella) and was described as 

 representing the Hypocreae in which the asci are wanting, or 

 what is now known as the pycnidial stage of the Hypocreae. It 

 is even not unlikely that the type of Aschersonia, Aschersonia 

 tahitensis Mont., is the pycnidial stage of his own Hypocrea 

 phyllogena. 



From the above facts and the observations which have been 

 made on the tropical specimens in the collections of the garden, 

 it seems evident that the genus Aschersonia represents the 

 pycnidial form of Hypocrella and that Hypocrella phyllogena 

 (Mont.) Speg. which was described eight years before the genus 

 Aschersonia was proposed really represented the perfect stage of 

 an Aschersonia as now known. Aschersonia would then occupy 

 the same relation to Hypocrella as Isaria to Cordyceps. 



In looking over the literature of the subject I find that this con- 

 nection has not been entirely overlooked by previous authors. In 

 1900, Raciborski 4 gave a detailed description of Hypocrella dis- 

 coidea (Berk. & Br.) Sacc. (the type of the genus Hypocrella) . 

 This was reported by him on Elettaria and Amomum. In a note 



2 Ann. Sci. Nat. II. 13: 340. 1840. 



3 Ann. Sci. Nat. III. 10: 121. 1848. 



* Parasit. Algen und Pilze Java's 3: 22-23. 1900. 



