Dactylaria cazorlii sp. nov. and Hansfordia catalonica sp. nov. from plant debris collected in different localities of Spain are described and illustrated. The first species is characterized by its hyaline, usually 4–6-septate, ellipsoid or subclavate conidia. The second one is distinguished by its brown, smooth, thick-walled, broadly obovoid, turbinate or ellipsoid conidia.

Craspedodidymum nigroseptatum sp. nov. is described and illustrated based on specimens collected on decaying rachides of Oncosperma horridum in Brunei Darussalam. It differs from other species of Craspedodidymum in producing dark brown conidia with three to four thick, darkly-pigmented septa, and a paler basal cell. Conidia are broadly ellipsoidal to obovoid and truncate at the base. Craspedodidymum nigroseptatum is compared with other species in the genus and a key to the genus is provided.

Geoffrey Clough Ainsworth was a mycological scholar of distinction, with an unparalleled knowledge of the bibliography and history of the subject. An indefatigable worker and campaigner for all aspects of the mycological cause, his contributions to the documentation and internationalisation of mycology have had enormous and on-going influences.

Geoffrey was born in Birmingham on 9 October 1905, the only son of the Rev. Percy Clough Ainsworth. Educated at Ipswich Grammar School and Kingswood School in Bath, he proceeded to the then University College Nottingham, obtaining first class honours in botany in 1930. En route in 1929, he obtained a certificate in pharmacy and was awarded the Pharmaceutical Society's Silver Medal and Harrison Memorial Prize. He was then lured into plant pathology, first working as an assistant at Rothamsted Experimental Station from 1930–31, and then as a virologist at the Experimental and Research Station in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, from 1931–39. The period at Cheshunt was an enormously productive one for Geoffrey. He took a particular interest in virus diseases of horticultural plants, on which he started to publish profusely, including the first of many contributions to Nature in 1936. At the same time he obtained a PhD from the University of London in 1934, and compiled his first book: The Plant Diseases of Great Britain (1937) – a bibliographic account of the different diseases caused by bacteria, fungi and viruses arranged by host.

Guido Pontecorvo, ‘Ponte’ to all who knew him, was born in Pisa, Italy, on 29 November 1907. His death on 25 September 1999, in his beloved Swiss mountains, marks the loss of a scientist whose breadth and vision had major impacts on genetical thought and experimentation.

After a classical education at Pisa lycee, he studied agricultural sciences at Pisa University (1924–1928) and later took postgraduate courses, including a diploma in silkworm breeding, in Milan and Pisa. His first research was in Florence, at the Agricultural Advisory Service for Tuscany; he worked on the beautiful Chiano breed of cattle for which he retained a strong affection. The breadth acquired in this and later periods was of lasting value. It had a lively impact on undergraduate courses in Glasgow, and for members of his first research team, all concentrating on microbial genetics, Ponte drew on a wealth of relevant references from his background, and applied ready corrective measures if he suspected a blinkered outlook.

Few studies have examined faeces as a substratum for nematophagous fungi, and no information is available about colonisation of faeces in tropical regions. Sheep faeces were deposited on a Brachiaria decumbens pasture in the Mata Region of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Up to 2 wk after deposition, samples were collected and cultivated on water agar (2 %) with free-living nematodes as bait. From 150 samples, 130 isolates were recovered after 3 wk. More than 70% were predators and Arthrobotrys and Monacrosporium spp. predominated. Endoparasitic species of Drechmeria, Harposporium, Myzocytium, Nematoctonus and Verticillium were also isolated.

Eight new species of Anthostomella, A. acuminata, A. applanata, A. caffrariae, A. colligata, A. meerensis, A. palmae, A. raphiae and A. spiralis, are described from South Africa. They are compared with similar species and illustrated with differential interference contrast photomicrographs.

The relationship of Venturia nashicola, the scab fungus of Japanese and Chinese pears, to the European pear scab fungus, V. pirina, was reexamined. Ascospores of V. pirina were longer and wider than those of V. nashicola and the conidia of V. nashicola significantly shorter than those of V. pirina. Results from mating experiments in culture clearly showed sexual isolation between the species. V. nashicola was only pathogenic on Japanese and Chinese pears and V. pirina was only pathogenic on European pear. It is concluded that V. nashicola is distinct from V. pirina.

Species of Leptographium are well-known inhabitants of conifers in the Northern Hemisphere, in which they cause a blue-stain. They are also known to be associated with insects, especially bark beetles (Coleoptera: Scolytidae). Surveys of dying stands of Siberian fir (Abies sibirica) have resulted in the consistent isolation of an unknown Leptographium from the galleries of the fir sawyer beetle, Monochamus urussovi (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). This fungus is responsible for the blue-stain in living trees. Comparison with known species of Leptographium led to the conclusion that it had not been previously described, and the name Leptographium sibiricum sp. nov. is introduced here.

A new synnematous hyphomycete, Siamia luxuriosa gen. et sp. nov., is described from Khao Yai National Park, Thailand. The genus is characterised by having long, dark synnemata, conidiogenous cells with numerous protuberant, cylindrical, thickened unilaterally arranged scars, and long, slightly curved, rostrate, multiseptate conidia. Siamia can be compared with several genera of synnematous hyphomycetes e.g. Phaeoisariopsis, Isariella, Atractilinia or Cercospora.

Picoa lefebvrei and Tirmania nivea are reported for the second and first time from Spain and Europe, respectively. They are illustrated and compared with material and descriptions of the related P. juniperi, T. pinoyi and P. lefebvrei is compared with material from Israel. The collection of T. nivea was originally recorded as T. pinoyi, which should, therefore, be removed from the European Catalogue of hypogeous fungi.

Type collections of Cercospora byrsonimatis and Ramularia ligustrina have been re-examined. Cercospora byrsonimatis is transferred to Pseudocercospora while a second hyphomycete, found on the type material, is described as Ramalia byrsonimatis sp. nov. Ramularia ligustrina is redescribed and its status as a true member of Ramularia is confirmed.

The type specimen of the smut fungus Ustilago andropogonis-funitimi, recently re-discovered, has been studied and described. The binomial is recombined in Sporisorium. Previously proposed synonymy is discussed and the confusion surrounding the original description is clarified.