242 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
Fungus Parasites of the Vine.* * * § — MM. P. Viala and C. Sauvageau 
describe certain fungus-parasites of tbe vine which occur in the United 
States. Four new species of Sphaeropsideae are described: — Pyrenochteta 
Vitis, Phoma Farlouiiana, Coniothyrium Berlandieri, and Diplodia 
sclerotiorum. Pyrenochseta Vitis has been observed in New England 
as far south as Texas, especially on Vitis riparia, Labrusca, cordifolia, 
and sestivalis. The organs of fructification are of two kinds ; pycnids 
are tbe commonest, and there are also “ spermogones.” The “ sper- 
matia ” are very small and colourless. Coniothyrium Berlandieri is 
confined to the south, and is found in Tennessee, the Indian Territorv, 
Missouri, Arkansas, and Texas, on Vitis Berlandieri, cinerea, and candi- 
cans. Diplodia sclerotiorum occurs only on Vitis Labrusca in Columbia, 
New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Now York State. Phoma Far- 
lowiana is found in the same regions, and in Canada, on Vitis Labrusca 
and V. riparia. 
Hobsonia, a new Genus of Tuberculariese.t — Mr. G. Massee gives 
the following diagnosis of this unpublished MS. genus of Berkeley’s, 
belonging to the section Helicosporae, of the family Tuberculariere, of 
the Hyphomycetes : — Sporodochia verruciformia superficialia ; conidia 
muco initio immersa, cylindracea, hyalina, in tubum spiraliter laxe 
convoluta, pluriarticulata. It is distinguished from other genera of 
the section by its multi septate conids, arranged in a lax spiral form- 
ing a cylindrical or conical body. 
New Parasitic Fungi on Crops.f — Mr. F. D. Chester describes the 
following three new parasitic fungi, and the diseases caused by them: — 
Colletotrichum Lycopersici, causing anthracnose of the tomato ; a Septoria 
allied to S. Petroselini, causing spots on the leaves of celery ; Phyllo- 
sticha Citrullina, which attacks the water-melon, causing almost complete 
failure of the crop. 
Schwendener’s Lichen-theory.§ — Dr. Nylander returns to the attack 
on Schwendener’s theory of the symbiosis of Lichens. He states that the 
hypothesis is clearly refuted by observing the formation and evolution 
of the gonids in the thalline granules which are adnate on the erect 
chondroid axes of Stereocaulon and the Cladoniei. It can be clearly 
seen that the gonids arise in the cells of the glomerules themselves of 
the thallus, which are composed of the medulla and gonids, and at the 
same time of the cortical cells. The same is to be observed in the forma- 
tion of gonimia in the cephalodia of some species of Stereocaulon. All the 
Schwendenerian “ algae ” are, he asserts, lichens. 
Ostracoblabe implexa.|| — M. E. Bornet now identifies his Ostracoblabe 
implexa, described as growing on the calcareous shells of molluscs, with 
the hyphae of the lichen Verrucaria consequent, which are therefore 
capable, under certain conditions, of living isolated, without being united 
* Journ. de Bot. (Morot), v. (1891) pp. 337-41, 357-66 (1 pi.). 
t Ann. of Bot., v. (1891) p. 509 (1 fig.). 
j Bull. Torrey Bot. Club, xviii. (1891) pp. 371-4. 
§ Nylander: ‘ Serturn Lichen® ’ Tropic® e Labuan et Singapore, pp. 31-4. See 
Grevillea, xx. (1891) p. 60 (1 fig.). 
U Jouru. de Bot. (Morot;, v. (1891) pp. 397-400. Cf. this Journal, 1890, p. 365. 
