T. R. Nag Raj

A simple technique for time-lapse photomicrography of microfungi in plate culture.

Developmental characters have recently gained the ascendancy in hyphomycete taxonomy, and this laboratory has undertaken detailed analyses of the diverse methods of conidiophore and conidium ontogeny exhibited by these fungi. Cole and Kendrick (1968a) described an ultra-thin culture chamber which has subsequently been used with considerable success in time-lapse photomicrographic studies (Kendrick, Cole and Bhatt, 1968; Kendrick and Cole, 1968, 1969; Cole and Kendrick, 1968b, 1969). Unfortunately, some hyphomycetes do not lend themselves to this technique. Three problems have been encountered. (i) Sporogenous cells which normally produced long chains of conidia in plate culture would form only one or a few spores in the culture chamber before succumbing [e.g., Scopulariopsis brevicaulis (Sacc.) Bainier, and Deightoniella torulosa (Syd.) M. B. Ellis]. (ii) Profuse vegetative mycelium developed before sporulation began, thus obscuring the subsequent events of conidium ontogeny [e.g., Arthrinium phaeospermum (Corda) M. B. Ellis]. (iii) In some fungi which normally produced two kinds of spores sequentially, only the first developed; or, if the second did form, previously differentiated elements hid its ontogeny from the camera [e.g., chlamydospores of Thielaviopsis paradoxa (de Seynes) Hohnel were obscured by earlier formed phialides and phialospores, while those of T. basicola (Berk. and Br.) Ferr. failed to develop]. These problems necessitated an exploration of alternative techniques. Since those fungi which did not adapt well to the culture

New Zealand fungi: 20. Fusichalara gen. nov.*

Three new species of a new genus Fushichalara, F. dimorphospora (type species), F. dingleyae, and F. novae-zelandiae are illustrated and described. lhe (tenus shows some similarity to Chalara but. besides other dilTerences. the firstformed phialoconidium in Fusichalara is conspicuously longer and more septate than the subsequent conidia.

New Zealand fungi 21. Chalara (Corda) Rabenhorst

Abstract Chalara aotearoa n. sp., C. bicolor n. sp., C. dictyoseptata n. sp., C. parvispora n. sp., C. pulchra n. sp., and C. unicolor n. sp. are illustrated and described, and C. hughesii Nag Raj & Kendrick n. sp. and C. urceolata Nag Raj & Kendrick n. sp. are described from collections made in New Zealand.

Genera coelomycetum. XI. Hyalotia, Hyalotiella, and Hyalotiopsis

Hyalotia Guba, type species H. laurina (Mont.) Guba (≡ Pestalotia laurina Mont.), is reduced to synonymy with Bartalinia Tassi. Hyalotiella Papendorf and the type species Hyalotiella transvalensis Papendorf are redescribed. Hyalotiella orientalis sp. nov. is described as the second species of the genus. Some nomenclatural problems associated with the binomial Hyalotiopsis subramanianii, representing the monotypic genus Hyalotiopsis Punithalingam, are clarified. Hyalotia exilis (Tassi) Guba is redisposed in Gampsonema gen. nov. as Gampsonema exilis (Tassi) comb. nov. The status of other species of Hyalotia is discussed.

Genera coelomycetum. XXV: Zetesimomyces anam. gen.nov.

A new anamorph genus, Zetesimomyces, is proposed to accommodate a coelomycetous anamorph collected on leaf litter in Cuba and New Zealand.