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

With the death of Martin Ellis on 8 June 1996, after a short illness, the Society lost a former President and Honorary member, the International Mycological Institute a Chief Mycologist of long and illustrious standing, mycology a twentieth-century pioneer in the study of hyphomycetes, and amateurs worldwide a popularizer of the collection and identification of microfungi. He was certainly no parochial mycologist for he enjoyed an international reputation built not only on admiration for his work and the clarity of its presentation but also his ability in correspondence and by personal discussion and example to help and stimulate others to emulate his high standards. His was a singular mycological life which as far as his published work is concerned initially may have seemed somewhat overfocused on his handsome (as he often put it) hyphomycetes. This belies the talents that he brought to bear on his subject such as a love of languages, a deep understanding and knowledge of nature, an illustrator's eye and the capability of translating this into scientifically accurate but artistic figures, and sheer hard work. He had an ability to organize the whole of his activities so systematically that were he to have been brought up in the computerized age he would have had no problem at all in adapting to it (his comprehensive card indices were a delight to use).

The coexistence in the same pycnidial conidioma of discrete ampulliform and hyaline conidiogenous cells and integrated conidiogenous cells on filiform, septate conidiophores, is described in Pyrenochaeta dolichi. A new Monodictys-like synanamorph is also reported in this species. Monodictys-like conidia are produced on lateral branches from the vegetative hyphae and germinate through the conidiogenous scar. The taxonomic position of P. dolichi is discussed since there is no suitable place for this fungus in the current systematic schemes for this group of fungi.

Two new species of Helicoon, H. myosuroides and H. dendroides, are described and illustrated, and their characteristics are outlined in comparison with similar species. Both species belong to the ecological group of the aero-aquatic fungi and are even more specialized as they only inhabit raised bogs. Their ecological characteristics are discussed in detail.

Comparison of type specimens of A. gerdemannii and A. appendicula revealed the spores to be identical in organization and subcellular structure, indicating they are conspecific. The Glomus morph of A. appendicula was not assigned a name in the protologue, but 11 living cultures started from or producing spores of A. gerdemannii also generated Glomus-like spores of identical morphology to those in type specimens of Glomus leptotichum. These spores were indistinguishable from those in type specimens of G. fecundisporum, indicating they are conspecific. Both species were described in the same paper, so the name G. leptotichum is given priority because type specimens are in better condition and specimens from a reference culture have been identified by an author of both prologues. Absence of a teleomorph and confirmation of dimorphism from single and multiple-spore inoculations of host plants in culture provide the basis for designating A. gerdemannii and G. leptotichum as synanamorphs of one vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus.

In the coastal cliff landscape of southern Scandinavia dense populations of the saxicolous, lichen-forming fungus Lasallia pustulata are subject to disturbances creating small or larger gaps; one or several thalli are removed by strong winds, icing, rock slides, log-falls, branch sweeping or trampling. New patches for colonization are also created when mats of bryophytes, fruticose lichens or pine needles are removed by the same forces. The disturbance gaps are major sites of recruitment in the populations and the age structure of a population is spatially structured by the pattern of gap formation. The revegetation of experimentally created gaps were monitored over a four year period, at the end of which the gaps were filled with new, 1–9 mm sized thalli, unevenly scattered, on average 6500 individuals m−2, covering less than 1% of the substrate. In addition there were clusters of small thalli sprouting from the former attachment site of some of the large thalli that had been removed. The growth of individual thalli in natural gaps and mature populations was also monitored for four years. The largest annual increment in thallus diameter was 15 mm, the average 5·5 mm. Some thalli did not increase in size at all, some became slightly smaller, and some were completely eliminated, apparently by self-thinning. There was no correlation between initial thallus size and annual growth; and age and size are not correlated. The individual variations in growth rate seem to reflect the degree of initial crowding, subsequent competitive success, and local supply of nutrients. The average growth and initial size of individuals plus their density and dispersion are used to model the speed of gap-closure, estimated to be 10–15 years.

Gyrothrix flagelliramosa, a new species of hyphomycete, found in litter floating in hydrocarbon-polluted water in the Santiago River, Argentina, is described and illustrated.

The broad spectrum fungicide mancozeb was applied to monocultured sugarcane soils affected by the growth constraint known as sugarcane yield decline. The constraint is associated with the long-term monoculture of sugarcane and has been shown to decrease sugarcane growth by 20% in commercial crops in Queensland. The fungicide was shown to decrease root colonization by soil fungi, particularly dematiaceous sterile fungi. Higher doses of mancozeb (up to 400 mg kg−1) sometimes led to increased populations of Penicillium spp. The fungicide greatly improved plant growth and root health when applied at doses of 100 mg kg−1 and above. Results suggest that the role of dematiaceous sterile fungi in sugarcane yield decline should be further examined.

After purification by thin-layer chromatography (tlc) several fatty acids stimulated oospore formation in Phytophthora cactorum but not in Phytophthora parasitica. Palmitoleic acid was the most effective and was the only fatty acid tested that promoted oospore formation in P. parasitica. Purification of palmitoleic acid by Florisil column chromatography resulted in a two-fold increase in activity over that purified by tlc. When 0·01 to 100 ng of cholesterol was added to basal medium containing palmitoleic acid, the added cholesterol did not significantly change oospore production by P. cactorum. Oospore formation in P. cactorum was slightly stimulated by tlc-treated aliphatic hydrocarbons, or derivatives of hydrocarbons, but was strongly stimulated by geraniol and squalene. Vitamin A and vitamin A esters stimulated oospore formation in both P. cactorum and P. parasitica. tlc treatment also significantly increased the activity of cholesterol and β-sitosterol on oospore formation by P. cactorum. Both compounds did not stimulate oospore formation by P. parasitica even after tlc treatment.

The growth of three wood inhabiting basidiomycetes (Microporus xanthopus, Pycnoporus sanguineus and Schizophyllum commune) isolated from a tropical coastal forest of Papua New Guinea is characterized in relation to temperature and NaCl salinity. P. sanguineus and M. xanthopus present a very similar response to NaCl salinity, but P. sanguineus has a wider tolerance for temperature variations. S. commune withstands wide temperature variations, but it is the only one to present a marked salt resistance. This correlates with its abundance along the sea. The presence of P. sanguineus in the same habitat is rather unexpected since it is very sensitive to NaCl salinity. Its high growth rate probably allows it to take advantage of periods of high rains that limit salt accumulation.

Three species of Phaeoramularia, P. indica sp. nov., P. moracearum sp. nov. and P. psidii-guajavae sp. nov. on Acalypha indica, Ficus religiosa and Psidium guajava, respectively, are described and illustrated from material collected in Gorakhpur and the adjoining area.

Two new coelomycetes with appendaged conidia collected on branches of Eucalyptus species in Tasmania are described, illustrated and compared with closely related taxa. They are Ciliosporella tuberculiformis sp. nov. on E. regnans and Neoplaconema cymbiforme sp. nov. on E. nitens.

The production of basidia from individual teliospores of Sporisorium formosanum and Ustilago affinis is described. In S. formosanum the upper portion of the basidium separates as a conidium-like body the two cells of which either conjugate or produce sporidia, whilst the lower portion remains unicellular and gives rise to sporidia. In U. affinis the basidium is four-celled and remains intact, its cells either conjugating or producing sporidia, sometimes on the same basidium. These patterns of teliospore germination are compared with one another and other members of the Ustilaginaceae, notably Ustilago trichophora.

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

All correspondence about this item should be addressed to the Executive Editor. Reprints of this feature will not be available.

Moelleroclavus is considered to be an anamorphic genus. The teleomorph of M. penicilliopsis is shown through field observations, collection examination, and cultures to represent a previously unnamed species of Xylaria, X. moelleroclavus sp. nov. Xylaria lingua and X. scruposa are also discussed.

A new species of Boerlagiomyces is described from submerged wood collected from a freshwater river in the Philippines. Boerlagiomyces grandisporus is compared with previously described species in the genus and is shown to possess greatest similarity with B. websteri. Selected ultrastructural characteristics of the ascospores of B. grandisporus are illustrated and discussed in relation to other fungi. The taxonomic relationship of the genera Boerlagiomyces and Garethjonesia are reassessed and shown to be congeneric; the new combination B. lacunosispora is accordingly validated.

Dictyocaulus viviparus and Pilobolus coexist in individual elk of the Yellowstone National Park's northern herd. It is suggested that Pilobolus transfers infective larvae to forage grasses, so spreading the lungworm disease.

Intercellular hyphae of Cladorrhinum foecundissimum were observed in a dense layer surrounding the stele of cotton roots and were distinguished inside root hairs of plants grown in substrate containing the endophyte. No damage was observed in the epidermis of roots from infested substrate. At the blossom stage height of plants grown in substrate with the endophyte was 50% greater than in the controls. In the same group of plants growing in phosphorus-deficient substrate the endophyte doubled the phosphorus concentration compared to the control plants. In 25 day-old plants growing in substrate with high phosphorus content, the use of 32P showed a L value [available P (mg P 100 g−1)] 29% greater in soil colonized by the endophyte than in the non-infested substrate, but dry matter and phosphorus content in plants were not significantly different.

A protocol for the generation of high yields of viable protoplasts has been developed for several highly branched (colonial) strains of the Quorn® myco-protein fungus, Fusarium graminearum A3/5. Driselase was found to produce higher protoplast yields (ca 109 g−1 wet weight) than the other lytic enzymes tested (Glucanex, Novozyme, β-glucuronidase, Sigma lytic enzyme, or ICN lytic enzyme), although yields differed for the various strains. Protoplast regeneration frequencies of 25–50% were observed when glucose (1·0 M) or sucrose (1·0 M) was used as the osmotic stabilizer. A highly branched strain of F. graminearum CC1-5, which grows better in submerged culture than the more sparsely branched wild-type strain (A3/5) was transformed using the hygromycin B resistance plasmid pAN7-1.

Botrytis cinerea secreted low levels of a constitutive acid phosphatase into liquid culture when grown in the condition of phosphate starvation or in the presence of high concentrations (4 mM) of organic phosphate esters or inorganic phosphate. During phosphate starvation the overall acid phosphatase activity secreted into the culture fluid was increased up to 80-fold due to the appearance of a second (phosphate-repressible) enzyme form. On native polyacrylamide electrophoresis gels, the constitutive enzyme displayed size heterogeneity, whereas the repressible enzyme was resolved as a discrete band. Both forms of the enzyme reacted with p-nitrophenylphosphate under such conditions, but only the constitutive form was found to hydrolyse β-glycerophosphate. Histochemical staining with these two substrates with the Gomori lead-capture method revealed significant staining of secretory vesicles in the hyphal tip region only in phosphate-starved mycelium with p-nitrophenylphosphate as the substrate. By contrast, vacuolar structures were stained with both substrates under conditions of phosphate starvation as well as abundance of inorganic phosphate. The implications of these observations for the likely exit route of the two acid phosphatase forms are discussed.