A SPECIES OF DISCOSIA ON LIVING 

 BULL PINE SEEDLINGS 



F. D. Heald 

 (With Plate 14, Containing 7 Figures) 



A dozen or more species of Discosia are recorded by Saccardo 

 from various parts of the United States. The species of this 

 genus have been found upon the leaves of various herbaceous 

 plants and upon the leaves of deciduous trees. In all cases, they 

 were on languid, dead, dry, or decomposing remains of the host 

 plant. One species has been described from the samaras of 

 Fraxinus americana. Two species of the genus have been de- 

 scribed from specimens found on coniferous hosts : Discosia 

 virginiana Thiim.* on the dead leaves and branches of Juniperus 

 virginiana, from Newfield, N. J., and Discosia strobilina Lib. on 

 the fallen cones of a species of Abies from Arduennis.f 



During an examination of the Forest Reserve at Halsey, Nebr., 

 May 17, 1907, in an effort to determine the cause of a trouble- 

 some blight of the young pine seedlings, my attention was called 

 by Mr. W. F. Mast to the fungus here described. The species, 

 which is apparently a new one, was found growing upon the 

 living seedlings of the bull pine (Pinus ponderosa) . It has not 

 been determined whether this fungus is in any way connected with 

 the blight that was prevalent. In all cases where the fruiting 

 fungus was found on the seedlings, they did not show any signs 

 of injury, but were apparently in vigorous condition. 



The seedlings which showed the fruits of the fungus were 

 in the year old beds. The pycnidia are scattered along the hypo- 

 cotyl slightly above the ground line, and show as minute coal- 

 black specks, easily visible to the naked eye (Fig. 1). The fol- 

 lowing measurements will give their variation in size: (1), 164 X 

 310.5/*; (2,), 155 X 241.5 /x; (3), 121 X 241.5/*; (4), 138 X 

 362 fx; (5), 121 X 224/x. 



* Saccardo, Syll. Fung. 10: 427. 1892. 

 t Saccardo, Syll. Fung. 3: 656. 1884. 



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