A new nematophagous-predacious hyphomycete, Candelabrella shahriari sp. nov., which captures nematodes by means of adhesive networks, is described and illustrated.

Parental and progeny isolates of the endophytic fungus Epichloë festucae were tested for compatibility with five grass species: Lolium perenne, Festuca arundinacea, F. longifolia, F. pratensis, and F. rubra subsp. rubra. One parental and some progeny isolates adversely affected the growth of plants, causing increased mortality of inoculated seedlings, stunted growth and chlorotic leaf symptoms. Growth of hyphae from surface-sterilized leaf sheaths and blades was more vigorous and concentrated from stunted than from symptomless plants. In addition, the growth of isolates was influenced by the host species, whereby estimates of hyphal concentration were consistently highest in meadow fescue associations and lowest in tall fescue associations. Light microscopic and transmission electron microscopic examination of stunted plants indicated no changes in host cells. Intercellular hyphae were observed within vascular bundles of leaf blades and sheaths of many of the endophyte–grass associations. The frequency of infected vascular bundles and the concentration of hyphae within them was highest in plants infected with the stunting parental isolate and lowest in plants infected with the symptomless parental isolate. Hyphae within vascular bundles were typically in close contact with sieve-tube elements and appeared to be functioning as powerful sinks, diverting assimilates and restricting growth.

Corallocytostroma ornicopreoides sp. nov. is described and illustrated from large (up to 3 cm diam.) conidiomata and sclerotia found on the living stems of four perennial grasses, Astrebla elymoides, A. pectinata, A. squarrosa and Dichanthium fecundum, in northern Western Australia and the Northern Territory. It is compared with Corallocytostroma oryzae, the only other species in the genus.

Chaetopsina hongkongensis sp. nov. from decaying palm rachids, and Kionochaeta australiensis sp. nov. from decaying wood submerged in a freshwater stream, are described and illustrated. Both species produced setose conidiophores and phialidic conidiogenous cells. The former is distinct in having polyblastic conidiogenous cells with multiple denticulate loci, and is compared with C. polyblastia. In Kionochaeta australiensis conidiophores have accessory setiform lateral branches, and it is compared with K. keniensis, K. pughii, and K. ramifera. The delimitation of these two genera is discussed with additional information provided from an SEM study of conidiogenous characters in C. hongkongensis.

Botrytis cinerea is known as a β-(1-3)(1-6)-D-glucan-overproducer with an exceptionally high degree of β-(1-6)-branches in the glucan. To localize and characterize the glucan synthase, the incorporation of [14C]glucose, activated by uridyl diphosphate and incubated with mycelial extracts, into ethanol-precipitable material was studied. Whereas crude extracts were found to produce α- and β-glucans, a pure β-(1-3)-D-glucan was formed by the membrane fraction. This was monitored by the complete cleavage into glucose with a purified β-(1-3)-glucanase and by the detection of laminaribiose, a β-(1-3)-linked dimer of glucose, in incomplete digestions. Degradation products with β-(1-6)-linkages, e.g. gentiobiose, which is found after degradation of the native polymer, were not detectable. β-(1-3)-glucan synthase activity was optimal at 22 °C and pH 7·2 with a Km of 0·8 mM and a Vmax of 0·24 mU mg−1 protein. GTP (Ka = 4·2 μM), cellobiose, BSA and EGTA enhanced the reaction whereas UDP (Ki = 0·45 mM) and Ca2+ inhibited it.

From the alkali-extractable material obtained from cell walls of 44 species (49 strains) of Penicillium a water-soluble fraction (F1S) was isolated. The main component (F1S-S) of fraction F1S was purified by gel permeation chromatography through Sepharose CL6B, analysed chemically and its structure determined by 1H- and 13C-NMR. Galactose was the predominant neutral sugar in this fraction. Six different polysaccharidic structures were found and the species investigated were arranged into six groups according to these structures. These results illustrate the complexity of the cell wall components of Penicillium and add to existing information on the relatedness of species of the genus with Eupenicillium and Talaromyces. The results show that there are several types of cell wall in Penicillium.

This listing covers the period October 1, 1996 through to October 31, 1996. The last issue of one stop mycology contained an erratum: it covered the period September 1, 1996 to September 30, 1996 and not March 1, 1996 to April 30, 1996. Citations are arranged in groups which roughly correspond with the British Mycological Society's Special Interest Committees.

A study of the lichenicolous fungi occurring on species of the lichenized genus Peltigera has resulted in six new species: Libertiella curvispora, L. didymospora, L. fennica Alstrup, Polycoccum superficiale, Roselliniella peltigericola, and Zwackhiomyces kiszkianus. A key to the five known species of Libertiella is included. This paper brings the number of fungi known on this host to 87, of which 61 are not known from any other host genus, providing additional evidence for the richness of Peltigera thalli as a host for novel fungi. The possible hypotheses to explain the richness of this host genus for lichenicolous fungi are enumerated; these are not mutually exclusive.

Unidentified isolates of Cylindrocladium with 1–3-septate conidia and clavate vesicles were compared with C. theae, C. colhounii var. colhounii, C. colhounii var. macroconidiale, C. gracile, C. pteridis and Calonectria gracilis. Ribosomal DNA (rDNA) of these isolates were digested with the restriction enzymes EcoR I, Hind III and Xho I, and Southern analysis performed with the 6·3-kb rDNA repeat unit of Neurospora crassa as DNA probe. Based on differences in general morphology, supported by their rDNA restriction fragment length polymorphisms, isolates of all species and varieties could be distinguished. Furthermore, the Cylindrocladium anamorph of Calonectria gracilis was shown to be distinct from Cylindrocladium pteridis and C. gracile. The name Cylindrocladium pseudogracile sp. nov. is, therefore, proposed for the undescribed anamorph of Calonectria gracilis.

Four ascomycete species with brown 1-septate ascospores with wall ornamentation were identified from palms in Ecuador and Brunei. Asci were long cylindrical, relatively thick-walled, bitunicate with non-fissitunicate dehiscence, and the hamathecium was composed of trabeculae. These fungi are referred to Roussoëlla, and are described and illustrated in this paper, including two new species. A key to accepted species of Roussoëlla is provided.

Dactylaria tunicata sp. nov. from submerged wood in a freshwater stream from Australia is described and illustrated. It differs from all previously described species of Dactylaria in having uniseptate conidia with a hyaline sheath. The 41 species of Dactylaria accepted by de Hoog are listed, together with a further 41 validly published species of Dactylaria post de Hoog. A taxonomic key to 37 of the 41 post de Hoog species is provided, based on the literature, together with a composite illustration of their conidial morphology. The other four species are discussed, but they are not considered to be Dactylaria species (sensu de Hoog).

The ability of Hymenoscyphus ericae to produce 12 carbohydrolytic activities has been investigated during growth under solid-state fermentation conditions. The fungus produced a complete cellulase enzyme complex (cellulase, cellobiohydrolase and β-D-glucosidase) along with components of the hemicellulolytic (endoxylanase, β-D-xylosidase, α-L- and β-L-arabinosidase and glucoronidase) and mannanolytic (mannanase, β-D-mannosidase, α-D- and β-D-galactosidase) complexes. Specific activities were greatest for endo-acting enzymes and lower for exo-acting and side-branch removing activities in each case. The data indicate that H. ericae possesses a considerable ability to degrade plant polymeric material and are discussed in relation to establishment of the symbiosis and interaction of mycelium with moribund plant organic matter in soil.

This listing covers the period March 1, 1996 through to April 30, 1996. Citations are arranged in groups which roughly correspond with the British Mycological Society's Special Interest Committees.

Samples from the intertidal zone of mooring posts of oak standing in Svanemøllen Harbour and samples from fallen oak trees lying in the waterline at Strandegaard Dyrehave were examined for the occurrence of marine lignicolous fungi. Buxetroldia bisaccata gen. et sp. nov., belonging to the Halosphaeriaceae, was encountered and is described from light microscope (LM) and SEM studies. The taxonomic position of B. bisaccata is discussed especially in relation to Tunicatispora australiensis; the main difference between the two species is found in the structure of the ascospore appendages.

Micropeltopsis cannabis sp. nov. and Orbilia luteola (Roum.) comb. nov. are proposed. New Cannabis host associations include binucleate Rhizoctonia spp., Curvularia cymbopogonis, Sphaerotheca macularis, Glomus mosseae, and Pestalotiopsis sp. The geographic ranges of Pseudoperonspora cannabina, Septoria neocannabina and Fusarium graminearum are expanded.

This listing covers the period July 1, 1996 through to July 31, 1996. Citations are arranged in groups which roughly correspond with the British Mycological Society's Special Interest Committees.

Description and illustration of Chaetasbolisia indica sp. nov. collected on Shorea robusta from India is given.

Sterile dematiaceous fungi are commonly isolated from plant roots. They are often assigned to Mycelium radicis atrovirens, a name originally proposed for black, sterile, fast-growing, pseudomycorrhizal fungi. Dematiaceous fungi isolated from roots may be mutualists, commensalists, or pathogens and, in the absence of sporulation, identification is not possible. Forty-six isolates of dematiaceous fungi from the roots of different hosts and locations were characterized using restriction site mapping of polymerase chain reaction amplified nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacers. The restriction site maps were compared to identified dematiaceous mycorrhizal and pseudomycorrhizal fungi. Computer generated trees (UPGMA and parsimony analysis) characterized two unknown isolates as Phialophora finlandia, an ectendomycorrhizal fungus. The majority of the isolates were characterized as Phialocephala fortinii-like. Phialocephala fortinii has been reported as both pathogenic and non-pathogenic in a number of hosts. There was variation within the P. fortinii-like group suggesting intraspecific variation or a species complex.

The new generic name Lecanostictopsis is introduced with three species, L. kamatii (type species), L. syzygii and L. noumeaensis sp. nov., all of which are associated with leaf lesions on species of Syzygium. The genus is compared and contrasted with Lecanosticta, Stigmina and similar genera. The position of Cercostigmina is discussed in relation to Pseudocercospora and Cercoseptoria. Cercostigmina syzygii sp. nov. associated with leaf lesions on S. cordatum is described, and compared and contrasted with Stenella marasasii on the same host substratum. Pseudocercospora syzygiicola sp. nov. is described from leaf lesions on S. cordatum from South Africa, while Pseudocercospora syzygiorum sp. nov. from S. cumini and Passalora syzygii from S. cumini and S. jambos are described from India.

Eighty-four isolates of Penicillium chrysogenum and related species were examined by isozyme analysis. Four main groups could be defined by cluster analysis; P. chrysogenum var. chrysogenum, P. flavigenum sp. nov., P. chrysogenum var. dipodomyis and P. nalgiovense. P. flavigenum is described as new species, and P. chrysogenum var. dipodomyis raised to species level as P. dipodomyis. The genetic distance between these groups was calculated by employing a formula that accounts for the differences in alleles and loci obtained by isozyme analysis of these fungi. The genetic distances and cluster analysis suggest that the groups should be considered as four separate species. The practical implication of the separation and the ecological characteristics of the four species are discussed.