122 Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa. 
Meliola 'peltata,^ a species found on Podocarjms latifolia and P. falcata 
(it does not to my knowledge occur on P. elongata), although its perithecia 
are spherical and its spores typical of the genus Meliola, in its vegetative 
stage strongly recalls the Trichoi^eltaceae. The spore on germination gives 
rise to hyphae, which branch repeatedly and become fused into a flat mem- 
brane, wdiich develops into a more or less spherical disc. It differs from 
the vegetative thallus of the disc-forming Trichopeltaceae (e. g. Brefeldiella) 
only in the thicker hyphae which compose it, and in the presence of 2-celled 
hyphopodia, which can be traced on most of the branches forming the 
membrane. 
In a recent collection from Buccleuch, Natal, an equally interesting 
fungus was found on the leaves and stems of FiiJer ca'pensis. In this case 
the mycelium and spores are those of a typical Meliola, but the perithecium 
is of the Microthyriaceae type. The hyphae are thread-like, creeping over the- 
leaf-surface, and bearing 2-celled capitate hyphopodia at regular intervals,, 
and less frequently mucronate hyphopodia. The formation of the thyrio- 
tliecium is similar to that of Asterina ; a number of cells formed laterally on 
a hypha by repeated division (apparently by the septation of one of the 
hyphopodia) form a small group of parenchymatous cells between the 
mycelium and the leaf- surface, and these are the initial cells of the peri- 
thecial membrane. Each cell grow'S in a centrifugal direction, forming a 
series of radiating hyphae, which are fused by their lateral w^alls ; thus a 
compact disc is formed, increase in circumference being provided for by the- 
forking of the constituent hyphae. These hyphae are not fused for the whole 
of their length but are free at the circumference, giving the thyriothecium 
a fimbriate appearance. The thyriothecium differs from that of a typical 
Asterina only in the slightly stouter hyphae which form the membrane and 
in the presence of typical hyphopodia on the free ends of these hyphae. 
Dehiscence is stellate, as in Asterina, but the asci are 2-spored and evanes- 
cent as in Meliola, and the spores identical with those of the latter genus. 
This is interesting in view of Theissen'sf statement that the hemispherical 
form of the fruiting body is evidently a development of the complete 
spherical form ; that the thyriothecium of the Microthyriaceae has been 
"^educed so that only the basal half has been formed, but this has been 
turned upside down and the perithecial w^all is therefore " inverse." 
There is no genus described with this type of perithecial membrane and 
4-septate brown spores. I have therefore named this fungus Meliolaster, 
since it combines certain characters of the genera Meliola and Asterina. 
Judging by the description given by Winter (' Hedwdgia,' 1886, p. 96) 
and Graillard (' Le Glenre Meliola,'' p. 58) it is possible that this fungus may 
* Doidge, E. M., ' Trans. Roy. See. S.A.,' vol. v, pt. 6, pp. 727 and 744,. 
pL Ixi, fig. 18 
t See footnote, p. 121. 
