Notes and Brief Articles 



267 



On July ii Mrs. John R. Delafield sent to the Garden, from 

 her lawn in Riverdale, an unusually large specimen of Grifola 

 gigantea, a polypore that grows in tufted form from buried roots, 

 stumps, and about the base of trees, the mycelium being parasitic 

 on the roots of oak and other deciduous trees in this region. 

 This particular specimen measured two feet across and one foot 

 in height and developed from a stump which had been cut off 

 close to the ground. It was nearly white when young and fresh, 

 becoming grayish on developing and smoky-blackish on drying. 

 Another large fungus, Grifola Berkeleyi, similar in shape to 

 G. gigantea, occurs about oak trees in the eastern United States, 

 but may readily be distinguished by its creamy color and the lack 

 of blackish tints on drying. 



Spike disease of sandalwood in India has been discussed by 

 several investigators in recent years. Some believe that it is 

 caused by ultra-microscopic organisms, and perhaps disseminated 

 by insects, while its spread from centers favors the infection 

 theory. Experiments at Komattiyur and Andiappanur gave re- 

 sults entirely opposed to the theory that spike is caused by an 

 unbalanced circulation of sap. Transmission of infection over 

 the long distances observed has not been explained, however. 

 Birds, insects, or flying foxes may act as carriers, but carriage 

 through other plants is considered more probable. Spike de- 

 velops more rapidly in some areas than in others, and is more 

 rapid in seedlings and saplings than in older trees. May to July 

 is the most favorable portion of the year for its extension. Spike 

 does not progress regularly from branch to branch. The pre- 

 ventive measures proposed include mainly isolation and destruc- 

 tion of the trees infected. 



The North American species of Stereum were discussed by 

 E. A. Burt in the Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden issued 

 in December, 1920. Seventy-seven species are recognized in this 

 difficult genus, while several are imperfectly known and many 

 now belong in Aleurodiscus, Thelephora, etc. The main divi- 

 sions of the genus are based on the presence or absence, or 



