In an attempt to clarify the taxonomic status, geographical distribution and host relationships of Laboulbenia pterostichi and its close allies, especially in relation to the parasites found on European Pterostichini (Coleoptera, Carabidae), we have examined the type series and a wide range of material from the northern hemisphere. We conclude that the presence of L. pterostichi on European Carabidae is not confirmed and that most records are based on misidentifications of the variable species L. pseudomasei.

Stilbohypoxylon is resurrected. The type species, S. moelleri, is redescribed and S. samuelsii is described as new. The third species, S. quisquiliarum, represents a new combination. A key to these taxa is provided.

The relationship between hyphal growth and branching of the grape pathogen Botrytis cinerea was determined on solid media containing either glucose, fructose, sucrose, tartaric acid or malic acid. The concentration of the carbon source had little effect on specific growth rate or the specific rate of tip formation, but growth was inhibited at high concentrations of tartaric and malic acids. Hyphal growth unit length and hyphal extension rate increased with increasing sugar concentration and were always significantly greater than values on tartaric or malic acids. The data provide an explanation for colonization patterns of grape berries. Growth will be poor during the period from setting to the onset of ripening, when organic acids are the main carbon source produced by the berry. Following the onset of ripening, the production of sugars provides more favourable carbon sources for the fungus, enabling achievement of higher specific growth rates, greater hyphal extension rates and, hence, greater colonizing potential.

Torrubiella petchii is described from scale insects that infest bamboo leaves in tropical forest. It is compared with four other species of Torrubiella described from Thailand and with other species known to infect scale insects. T. petchii was successfully isolated from whole ascospores. No anamorph was found in the material collected from the field. One isolate produced a Hirsutella anamorph. This is compared with Hirsutella-like anamorphs, collected from the field, of two other scale-insect Torrubiella spp.

Serine proteinase activity was assayed during sporophore maturation and postharvest senescence in Agaricus bisporus. Serine proteinase accumulated largely in stipe tissue early during postharvest storage and in the later stages of maturation of unpicked sporophores. Western blot staining correlated with enzyme activity indicating de novo synthesis. The enzyme could not be detected by Western blotting in freshly harvested sporophores at an early maturation stage. Small increases in activity were detected in the cap tissue during the final stages of senescence, postharvest and in unpicked sporophores. The distribution of the serine proteinase in senescent sporophore tissues (high in stipe, low in cap) was confirmed by histochemical and immunologically stained tissue prints.

Thirty-one isolates of the form genera Acremonium and Cephalosoporium were screened for their ability to excrete enzymes capable of degrading β-glucans. Most produced both (1 → 3)- and (1 → 6)-β-glucanases together, although the yields varied with carbon source used. Surprisingly, higher yields of (1 → 3)-β-glucanases were often seen from isolates grown on pustulan, a (1 → 6)-β-glucan which is not hydrolysed by these enzymes. Lower enzyme yields were generally obtained with glucose than with either laminarin, a (1 → 3)-β-glucan or pustulan as carbon sources, suggesting regulation of synthesis by either catabolite repression and/or induction. However, a few isolates, most notably Cephalosporium sp. OXF C13 and Acremonium strictum appeared to have some constitutive-β-glucanase activity. Most of the isolates screened were only very weakly cellulolytic against carboxymethyl cellulose or filter paper as substrates.

Thirty-eight strains of the entomopathogenic Beauveria bassiana, isolated from diverse species of Lepidoptera (Pyralidae) or Coleoptera (Curculionidae, Chrysomelidae, and Scolytidae) from various geographical sites, were examined by RFLP and RAPD analyses. Similar groupings were recovered from both approaches and these showed clear relationships between the population structure of B. bassiana and some defined host species. Strains isolated from members of the Pyralidae were recovered as two main groups, one group consisted of all strains isolated from Ostrinia irrespective of their origin. The second group consisted primarily of strains isolated from Diatraea in Cuba. All strains isolated from the curculionid genus Sitona clustered as a single distinct group, separated from strains from other curculionids. In contrast, strains isolated from the pyralid genus Maliarpha, and the coleopteran Chrysomelidae, gave heterogenous patterns and were not recovered as distinct groups. Groups from cluster analysis and non-hierarchic ordination methods were compared and the relative merits of the different grouping strategies are discussed.

A study on the mangrove leaf litter fungi of two tropical mangroves in Singapore was carried out. Five Halophytophthora species and four isolates which did not fit the descriptions of known species were isolated from leaves of Avicennia alba, A. rumphiana, Rhizophora apiculata and R. mucronata. Halophytophthora exoprolifera, H. kandeliae, H. operculata, H. spinosa var. lobata and H. vesicula are new records for Singapore; the first three also being new records for tropical mangroves. The isolate of H. exoprolifera sporulated at 28 °C and may be a tropical strain. H. operculata is reported for the first time outside of Australia. The results of this study contribute to the little known distribution of the Halophytophthora in the Indian Pacific region. Thirteen deuteromycetes were also isolated from the mangrove leaf litter and represented both phylloplane fungi as well as possible marine fungi.

Genetic variation within Gremmeniella abietina var. abietina was studied using the Random Amplified Microsatellite-technique (RAMS). Ninety-three isolates were investigated, originating mostly from Finland, but also from Canada, U.S.A., Japan, Norway, Italy, Iceland and Sweden. Four banding pattern types were observed corresponding to the present division of this species in Asian, North American and two types of European races. Furthermore, an additional banding pattern was also observed. Intraracial variation was observed within all races, the North American one being the most polymorphic. Isolates of the large tree type (LTT) Gremmeniella from North America, Italy and Iceland contained RAMS alleles not observed in Finland, Sweden or Norway. Therefore, the isolates of LTT Gremmeniella should not be transported even within the area of its natural occurrence.

Taiwanascus tetrasporus gen. et sp. nov., a lignicolous, superficial, cleistothecial and appendaged ascomycete with unitunicate, 4-spored, deliquescent asci and hyaline, aseptate to 1-septate, filiform ascospores is described and illustrated. It is assigned to a new family, Taiwanascaceae in the unitunicate ascomycetes.

Eighty-seven strains belonging to 18 species of Fusarium were characterized by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of ribosomal DNA (rDNA). The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to amplify a fragment including internal transcribed spacers and variable domains of the 28S rDNA. Data from RFLP analysis of amplified rDNA using eight frequent-cutting restriction enzymes permitted the definition of 23 rDNA haplotypes. The combination of only four restriction enzymes was sufficient to resolve the 23 haplotypes. Each haplotype could be assigned to a single Fusarium species, except for two haplotypes which were common to two or three closely related species. Polymorphism was found within some Fusarium species. Grouping among Fusarium strains derived from restriction analysis was, on the whole, in agreement with other molecular and morphological classification criteria. Therefore, the PCR/RFLP method described in this paper provides a simple and rapid procedure for the differentiation of Fusarium strains at the species level.

A novel source of α-amylase has been identified in Pycnoporus sanguineus. Spores incubated in the submerged system using wheat bran as a carbon source showed α-amylase activity. Induction of α-amylase was also observed from mycelium incubated in submerged fermentation (LM4) using starch or wheat bran as the carbon source. The effect of the inhibitors on the production of enzyme by mycelium incubated in the presence of glucose, suggested the existence of catabolic repression. A comparative study showed that in a solid state fermentation system (SSM), even in the presence of high levels of glucose, the production of α-amylase was 4-fold greater than that in a submerged system. High levels of β-glucosidase and xylanase activities were also found in SSM after 72 h incubation. P. sanguineus produces at least three important hydrolytic enzymes using economical procedures.

On water agar, hyphae of many fungi are attracted to viable pollen grains of Pinus nigra. Hyphae of 41 of 157 species tested could penetrate the pollen grains, ramify within the interior and consume the contents. It is proposed that pollen serves as a supplementary seasonal source of nutrients, particularly nitrogen, for litter- and wood-decaying members of the Basidiomycota.

A species of Wuestneia occurring on stems of eucalypts is described as Wuestneia epispora. The new species is distinguished by its large 4- to 8-spored asci and ascospores with firm, thick gelatinous sheaths. Two different anamorphs, Harknessia sp. and an unnamed hyaline, non-appendaged conidial species were associated with this fungus. Both anamorphs have microconidial synanamorphs. A new combination, Wuestneia karvarrae, is proposed for Cryptosporella karvarrae.

A new description and illustration of Polydesmus elegans, the type species of Polydesmus, is given. It was formerly considered as congeneric with Sporidesmium. Two new genera, Imimyces to accommodate I. aquaticus, I. bambusae, I. carrii, I. densus, I. heterocateniformis and I. hollowayensis, and Linkosia to accommodate the single species L. coccothrinacis, are proposed. A key to species of Imimyces is provided, and a new species and six new combinations are proposed.

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.

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.

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.