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A fungus causing conspicuous leaf spots of Prunus serotina was recently collected in Surrey, UK. It proved to represent an undescribed species which also cannot be referred to any known genus. The species is described as Miricatena prunicola gen. et sp. nov.

Two new microfungi, a fungicolous Scolecobasidium, S. rostricola sp. nov., colonising the ostiolar necks of a new coelomycete, Caducirostrum foliicola gen. & sp. nov., on leaf litter of Viburnum tinus, Arbutus unedo, Prunus laurocerasus and P. lusitanica from the U.K. and Italy, are described, illustrated and compared with other relevant taxa. Rhabdostromina, with new combinations for Dendroseptoria arrhenatheri and D. oryzopsidis, is resurrected.

A 41-year-old man with a past medical history of diabetes mellitus type II, AIDS (diagnosed 2 years earlier; CD4 count10), peripheral neuropathy, and pulmonary tuberculosis of 2 years duration was admitted to the hospital with abnormal liver function tests. There was a chronic hepatitis/cholestasis that had worsened while the patient was undergoing directly observed tuberculosis therapy. On admission, the patient complained of a painful swelling on his right arm. In the posterior aspect of the arm, there was a 3-4-cm subcutaneous mass that was fluctuant, mobile and tender. Incision of the mass released yellowish pus mixed with blood. Direct examination of the pus in KOH mounts and Gram-stained smears revealed subhyaline, septate, branched hyphae. When the pus was cultured on Sabouraud dextrose agar containing chloramphenicol, several velvety, olivaceous grey colonies grew after 7 days at 25 degrees C. When grown on oatmeal agar, the fungus produced subglobose, rostrate pycnidia with phialidic conidiogenous cells, and 1-celled cylindrical conidia. It was identified as Pleurophomopsis lignicola Petrak. This report describes the third known case of subcutaneous infection caused by P. lignicola in an immunocompromized patient.

The morphological, molecular and pathological characters of 34 isolates identified as Ascochyta pinodes, A. phaseolorum, and Phoma medicaginis var. pinodella were determined. Initial molecular findings, based on PCR fragment size and RFLPs of sections of the mitochondrial genome, the rRNA gene cluster and the beta-tubulin gene complex, were further investigated by sequencing of the total rRNA ITS regions. Isolates were homogenous for all characteristics determined, with the exception of conidial size and septation, and RFLPs of AT rich (presumptive mitochondrial) DNA. The results suggest that the isolates represent host preferential forms of a single taxon, and this finding is discussed in relation to the known teleomorphs and reference material of the species studied.

Hainesia marsdeniae sp. nov. is described and illustrated from dead leaves of? Cornus sp. collected in the U.K. It is compared with known Hainesia species and those coelomycetes with cupulate conidiomata that it resembles.

An immunocompetent 59-year-old man developed sinusitis over a 6- to 8-month period after cutting down a rotted maple tree (Acer sp.). A polypoid obstruction with a bloody drainage was evident in his right nasal cavity. A computed tomographic scan showed an opacification of the maxillary sinus. Surgery was performed to remove a fungus ball that had extended into the patient's medial sinus cavity. Sections of the sinonasal mucosa revealed marked acute and chronic sinusitis with inflammation, congestion, and hemorrhage. Sections from the pasty brown to black debrided material revealed a fungus ball consisting of an extensive network of brown-pigmented, septate, profusely branched hyphae. When grown on oat agar, the phaeoid fungus produced pycnidia and was identified as Pleurophomopsis lignicola. The genus Pleurophomopsis includes seven species, which are all known from plant material. This report documents for the first time a coelomycetous fungus, P. lignicola, causing sinusitis in an immunocompetent patient.

Phoma gentianae-sino-ornatae sp. nov. isolated from rotting roots of living Gentiana sino-ornata plants in the U.K. showing root rot symptoms is described, illustrated and compared with those Phoma species known from gentian, and other Phoma species causing root rot of various plants.

Stagonospora pteridiicola sp. nov., a new endophyte in Pteridium aquilinum , is described and the isolation frequency from aerial and rhizome tissues of forty host plants is shown.

The teleomorph of Ascochyta fabae has been recorded for the first time on overwintering bean straw of Vicia faba in Cambridge. Single ascospores gave rise to typical cultures of A. fabae, the conidia of which infected faba bean plants to give ascochyta blight. Comparison with similar fungi described from Vicia spp. indicated that this is an undescribed species. The name Didymella fabae Jellis & Punith. is introduced for this teleomorph and its significance in the epidemiology of the disease is discussed

Phaeoseptoria peltigerae is described and illustrated from the thallus of Peltigera horizontalis from Norway.

A description is provided for Phomopsis tersa . Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. HOSTS: Passiflora edulis, P. edulis cv. Flavicarpa and Passilqora sp. ( Passifloraceae ). DISEASE: Post-harvest stem end rot of passion fruit. GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Africa (Mauritius); Europe (Malta, Portugal); America (South America: Brazil); Asia (Malaysia, Sarawak, Sri Lanka); Australasia & Oceania (Australia: Queensland; Fiji). TRANSMISSION: Most probably by water-borne conidia during wet or humid conditions. It is also possible that conidia could be disseminated by contaminated knives during harvesting.

A description is provided for Septoria aquilina . Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. HOST: Pteridium aquilinum (bracken), ( Dennstaedtiaceae ). DISEASE: Brown spot of fern fronds. GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Europe (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, U.K.). TRANSMISSION: Most probably by plant debris in the soil and conidia dispersed by water splash.

A description is provided for Guignardia aesculi . Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. HOSTS: Aesculus glabra, A. hippocastanum (main host) ( Hippocastanaceae ). Several other species of Aesculus and subspecies including A. ambigua, A. arnoldiana, A. bushii, A. carnea, A. discolor, A. dupontii, A. hybrida, A . mississippiensis, A. mutabilis, A. neglecta, A. octandra, A. pavia, A. splendens, A. turbinata and A. woerlitzensis have been reported to be susceptible (Neely & Himelick, 1963; 50, 2509). DISEASE: Leaf blotch or black rot of Aesculus hippocastanum (horse chestnut) and other Aesculus species (5, 706; 28 , 38; 64, 4521). GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Europe (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Switzerland, U.K., Yugoslavia); North America (Canada: Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec; U.S.A. : Eastern U.S.A). TRANSMISSION: Presumably by water-borne conidia during wet conditions. Ascomata are produced on leaves left to over winter outside and both conidia and ascospores discharged from over wintered leaves have been reported to infect leaves of seedlings and produce blotch symptoms (Hudson, 1987).

A description is provided for Ascochyta necans . Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. HOSTS: Pteridium aquilinum (bracken) main host ( Dennstaedtiaceae), Rumohra (fide Farr, Bills, Chamuris & Rossman, 1989). DISEASE: Essentially a form of dieback but for the disease symptoms (37, 485; 50, 3380k) several names such as leaf spots, blackish brown discolouration of fronds and stems (18, 57), necroses, 'curl tip' and 'flecks' (66, 3185) have been applied. Symptoms are usually followed by the death of affected parts. Fronds at all stages have been reported to be susceptible (37, 485) and the fungus has been reported to infect undamaged plants under humid conditions producing the initial 'fleck' symptoms (66, 2655, 3185). Infection has been reported to occur as low as 10°C when a leaf wetness duration lasted at least 18h (67, 3242). Infection frequency has been reported to increase with increasing temp, up to 20°C. The susceptibility of bracken to infection has been reported to decrease with frond maturity. Infection of mature fronds has been shown to be < c . 12% that of immature fronds (67, 3242). GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Europe (Austria, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, France, Germany, Romania, Switzerland, U.K.) North America (U.S.A. : California, New Jersey, Wisconsin. Also recorded in several other states but the records require reappraisal). TRANSMISSION: Most probably by water splashed conidia in wet or humid conditions.

A description is provided for Ascochyta allii-cepae . Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. HOSTS: Allium cepa cv . Hygro, A. cepa cv . Jumbo ( Alliaceae/Liliaceae ). DISEASE: Leaf tip blotch and die back of onion (65, 490). GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Europe (U.K.). TRANSMISSION: Presumably by water dispersed conidia during wet weather.

A description is provided for Phomopsis folliculicola . Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. HOSTS: Theobroma cacao (cocoa) (main host), Guazuma grandiflora (= Theobroma grandiflora ) and Trochetia boutoniana ( Sterculiaceae ). DISEASE: Associated with rotting pod, flower stalk, bark, stem and witches broom condition of cocoa. GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Africa (Ghana, Malawi, Mauritius, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda); Asia (India, Malaysia, Sabah); Australasia & Oceania (Papua New Guinea, Solomon Is.) South America (Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador); Central America & West Indies (Cuba, Dominica, Granada, Jamaica, St. Lucia). TRANSMISSION: Probably by conidia dispersed by water splash during wet and humid conditions.

A description is provided for Didymella fabae . Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. HOST: Vicia faba (broad bean) ( Fabaceae ). DISEASE: Leaf, stem and pod spot. GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Asia (China, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey); Australasia & Oceania (Australia: New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria; New Zealand); Europe (Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Russia, Ukraine); North America (Canada: Nova Scotia, Manitoba); South America (Argentina) CMI Distribution Map. 513. ed. 2, 1989). Additional areas not mapped are: Africa (Egypt, Tunisia); Australasia & Oceania (Australia: South Australia); Europe (Hungary, Switzerland). TRANSMISSION: Mainly by seed borne conidia and ascospores (61, 4438; Jellis & Punithalingam, 1991; 70, 3631). It has been reported that crop debris can be an important way of carryover in Australia and Iraq (Geard, 1962; 63, 1499). Since disease spread has been noticed for up to 200 m in winter crops (60, 4748), the possibility of conidia being dispersed by wind has been suggested. In Canada A. fabae did not survive over winter in field plots ploughed down the previous year (57, 3703).

A description is provided for Phomopsis mangiferae . Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. HOST: Mangifera indica (mango) ( Anacardiaceae ). DISEASE: Post-harvest decay and stem end rot. GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Africa (Mauritius, Senegal, Seychelles, Zambia); Asia (Bhutan, Brunei, India, Malaysia (Sabah), Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka); Australasia & Oceania (Australia: Queensland, Western Australia; (French Polynesia) Moorea); Central America and West Indies (Cuba, Dominica, Trinidad & Tobago). TRANSMISSION: Presumably by conidia dispersed by water splash during wet or humid conditions.

A description is provided for Phomopsis elaeidis . Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. HOST: Elaeis guineensis (oil palm) ( Palmae ). DISEASE: Leaf spot of oil palm. Lesions elliptical to irregular, light brown with a paler central area. The fungus has also been isolated from roots and seeds. GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Africa (Guinea, Nigeria, Tanzania, Zaire); Asia (India including Andaman Is., Sabah, East Malaysia); Australasia & Oceania (Australia: Northern Territory; Solomon Is.); Central America (Dominica); South America (Ecuador). TRANSMISSION: Most probably by water and debris in the soil. The mode of entry and spread of the disease have not been investigated.

Recurrent keratomycosis is reported due to the coelomycete Sphaeropsis subglobosa, which has not been recognised previously as a human pathogen. Infection followed corneal injury by a frayed bamboo cane with implantation of its splinters. Initial successful therapy with 2% clotrimazole topically, to which it was sensitive, was followed by recurrent infection after 39 months, initially a keratitis but progressing to an endophthalmitis. Penetrating keratoplasty was necessary to eradicate the infection. Further isolation of the fungus showed that it had not developed resistance to clotrimazole but had survived dormant, deep in the corneal stroma. S. subglobosa should be considered in bamboo-associated and horticultural injuries.

A description is provided for Phomopsis asparagi . Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. HOSTS: Asparagus officinalis, A. plumosus, A. verticillatus . DISEASE: Stem blight of Asparagus species. The first symptom is a discolouration of the stem tissue followed by the appearance of brown, elliptical lesions. As infection progresses the affected areas become shrivelled and turn into well defined spots surrounded by dark brown margins. The centre of these spots become ashy-white with numerous immersed pycnidial conidiomata which later become erumpent. As disease advances the growth of the lateral branches is frequently arrested. All parts of the plant except the berries are susceptible to infection. In severe cases needles turn yellow, the plants are partially or completely defoliated and finally wither (16, 12; 55, 2446; 67, 1628). GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Africa (Ethiopia), Asia (India, China-Shanghai, Malaysia, Pakistan, Siberia, Taiwan); Europe (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Yugoslavia); North America (Eastern U.S.A., Alabama, Arkansas, New Jersey). TRANSMISSION: Through plant debris in soil (67, 4258; Kheswalla, 1936). Infection occurs rapidly through wounds. It has been found that conidia are discharged from pycnidial conidiomata by immersion in water, spraying with water and saturated high humidity. Longevity of conidial ooze was affected by spore cone., and undiluted spore ooze retained 41% germination after desiccation for 1 month (67, 4259). Survival of conidia in soil is affected by temperature and moisture. It has been reported that all conidia were destroyed after exposure to 35°C for 2 d; only 14% remained viable after 30 d at 10°C. At 28°C, conidia survived longer in dry than in wet soil. The fungus survived on infected stems buried in the soil during ploughing or in the ground for 3-4 months. On diseased stems at soil surface the pathogen survived > 6 months (67, 4258).

A description is provided for Dactuliochaeta glycines . Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. HOSTS: Glycine max (soyabean), G. javanica (= Neonotonia wightii ). DISEASE: Red leaf blotch or Pyrenochaeta leaf blotch of soyabean. Symptoms which appear on leaves, pods and stems are small dark brown circular to elliptical or occasionally irregular lesions, 1-2 mm wide with dark margins. With the advancement of infection lesions enlarge up to 2-3 cm wide but often coalesce to form large blotches covering > 50% of the leaf surface. Older lesions become necrotic, grey to dark brown in the centre with a dark brown or nearly black margin. Some lesions are surrounded by a chlorotic halo. Affected leaves become chlorotic and fall. In Ethiopia up to 75% defoliation has been reported in some varieties of soyabean. Initially it was reported that soyabean varieties with pale leaves were more susceptible than those with dark ones (Stewart, 1957) but recently it has been reported that soyabean with dark or light green foliage are equally susceptible (Hartman et al. , 1987). Lesions on Neonotonia wightii are generally circular and larger (< 4 cm diam.) than those on G. max . GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Africa (Cameroon, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania Uganda, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe); Asia (India); South America (Bolivia). TRANSMISSION: By soil-borne sclerotia and pycnidia dispersed by rain-splash. Heavily infected leaves with sclerotia and pycnidia left on the ground may serve as inoculum for the next growing season (Hartman et al. , 1987). Primary inoculum is presumed to come from infected Neonotonia wightii which is widely distributed or from alternate hosts but the full host range has not been investigated. Longevity of sclerotia, pycnidia and conidia left in the soil has not been quantitatively assessed.

A description is provided for Mycosphaerella zeae-maydis . Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. HOSTS: Zea mays (main host), Sorghum vulgare [Sorghum bicolor] var. sudanensis (= Sorghum bicolor ) and Setaria . DISEASE: Yellow leaf blight of maize. Leaves at all stages of maturity are susceptible to infection. Heavy infection of seedlings causes stunting whilst severe infection of leaves causes death of entire leaves. GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: North America (Canada, Ontario; U.S.A., New York, Wisconsin) South America (Bolivia, Equator). TRANSMISSION: Presumably by seed which may be contaminated by infected plant debris in the soil. So far the actual mode of infection in the field has not been investigated. Since the fungus overwinters as immature pseudothecia on leaves it has been suggested that ascospores may be responsible for early infection in the spring whilst conidia are responsible for secondary infection in the growing season (Mukunya & Boothroyd, 1973).

A description is provided for Phomopsis dioscoreae . Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. HOSTS: Dioscorea alata, D. esculenta, D. floribunda and D. rotundata . DISEASE: Leaf spot of Dioscorea spp. (yams). GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Africa (Nigeria); Asia (India, Philippines); Australasia & Oceania (Solomon Is); TRANSMISSION: Not known. Most probably by water-borne conidia during wet conditions.

A description is provided for Stagonospora meliloti . Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. HOSTS: Medicago arabica (spotted medick), M. lupulina (black medick), M. polymorpha, M. sativa (lucerne, alfalfa), Melilotus alba (white melilot), M. dentata, M. officinalis (yellow sweet clover), M. suaveolens, Trifolium alpestre, T. hybridum (alsike clover), T. repens (white clover, Dutch clover). Also on Ulex europaeus . DISEASE: Root rot, crown rot, stem blight and leaf spot. In alfalfa the taproot, crown, branches, and leaves are affected. The leaf spots are circular to irregular, light buff to greyish-white, 2-10 mm wide, sometimes involving the entire leaflet, with or without concentric bands, but always with a reddish-brown border. Usually pycnidia occur in the paler central areas of the spots. The visible symptoms on roots are smooth dark brown to black lesions which later dry, crack and become roughened. Beneath the surface the tissues turn reddish-brown to almost black. As the disease progresses slowly a dry rot develops followed by the appearance in the bark of a reddish colour which extends into the decaying wood rays. No new buds are formed and the plant eventually dies (18, 320). On species of Melilotus leaf spots have been reported as abundant in early spring and late in the fall in the U.S.A. In one variety of sweet clover only leaf spots have been reported abundant in the mid summer. The fungus enters roots through wounds. GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Asia (Iran, Japan); Australasia & Oceania (Australia, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, New Zealand) Europe (France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, Yugoslavia, U.K.); North America (Canada, Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan; U.S.A., Alabama, California, Idaho, Maryland, Minnesota, Wisconsin); South America (Brazil). TRANSMISSION: The fungus is probably soil-borne and survives in fodder crop debris. Conidia produced within pycnidia on leaves are liberated in masses when water is present and water splash helps dissemination. Entry into roots is through wounds (18, 320).

A description is provided for Phomopsis cotoneastri . Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. HOSTS: Cotoneaster dammeri, Cotoneaster spp. DISEASE: 'Slow decay' (slow dieback) of Cotoneaster (55, 1284). GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Asia (Japan), Europe (Germany, U.K.). TRANSMISSION: The mode of natural infection and factors which favour the spread of dieback of Cotoneaster has not been fully investigated. It has been reported that entry into stem is through wounds. It is highly probable that conidia are disseminated by water splash.

A description is provided for Mycosphaerella mori . Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. HOSTS: Morus alba (white mulberry), M. nigra . (black mulberry). DISEASE: Leaf spot or 'Cylindrosporiosis' of mulberry. The visible symptoms are light brown to dark brown circular or irregular lesions with paler or whitish centres. Individual lesions measure 3-6 cm wide but they often coalesce to form blotches. Severe disease leads to loss of foliage. GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Africa (Kenya, Libya, Zimbabwe, Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda), Asia (India, Iraq, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Turkey, U.S.S.R. Armenia, Republic of Georgia, Tashkent); Australasia (Australia, New South Wales, Western Australia), Europe (Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, U.K., Hungary, Malta, Yugoslavia), North America (U.S.A., Pennsylvania to Florida, Texas to West Virginia, Wisconsin); South America (Brazil, Manaus). TRANSMISSION: By conidia dispersed by rain splash. The fungus overwinters in young parts of branches (14, 265) and in debris lying on the ground.

A description is provided for Mycosphaerella convallariae . Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. HOST: Convallaria majalis (lily of the valley). DISEASE: Leaf spot or blotch or blight of lily of the valley. The first disease symptoms appear a few days after rain or a wet period (McKeen & Zimmer, 1964). At first the visible symptoms are minute necrotic spots with halos which later enlarge rapidly to form oblong to circular spots or blotches with concentric layers of light and dark zones. When the infection is severe secondary lesions develop, coalesce and kill the leaf. GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Europe (Austria, Hungary, Italy, Romania, U.S.S.R.); Eastern North America (Canada, Ontario; U.S.A., Pennsylvania). TRANSMISSION: Conidia are dispersed by water splash. In Ontario, Canada, the fungus is reported to overwinter in the ascomatal state and ascospores are released following a wet period in May or June (McKeen & Zimmer, 1964). It has also been suggested that two to four cycles of the Ascochyta stage are completed in the summer.

A description is provided for Acrocalymma medicaginis . Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. HOST: Medicago sativa (Lucerne). DISEASE: Root and crown rot of Medicago saliva . Affected plants show a reddish flecking in the cortex and vascular tissues of crowns and roots and the bark in infected areas is often fissured. As the disease advances, dry rot develops and the older infected tissues turn black. GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Australia (New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia). TRANSMISSION: Most probably through soil and by water dispersed conidia.

A description is provided for Phacidiopycnis padwickii . Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. HOST: Cicer arietinum (chick pea or gram). DISEASE: Collar rot, foot rot, wilt or blight of chick pea or gram ( Cicer arietinum ). Symptoms are drying up of plants from the tip downwards, the leaves becoming pale green to yellowish and finally drop off. The collar turns brown and sometimes roots and rootless may also be involved. GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: India: Bihar; Delhi; Haryana (Karnal); Madhya Pradesh (Gwalior); Punjab (Gurdaspur, Ludhiyana); Rajasthan (Alwar, Bayana, Bharatpur, Chaksu, Dasu, Rajakhera); Uttar Pradesh (Gorakphur). CMI Map. 514, ed. 1, 1976. TRANSMISSION: By inoculation trials it has been found that severe infection and death occurs in 14-81% of different chick pea varieties grown from seeds sown in soil heavily infested with P. padwickii (Kheswalla, 1941). Immersion of seeds in a suspension of conidia yielded only a small proportion of infected seedlings. The fungus has been reported to survive from May to October both in sterilized and unsterilized soil, farmyard manure, crop debris either exposed or buried up to 15 cm (57, 3715).

Summary. A new genus of coelomycetes, Pseudocytoplacosphaeria, typified by P coniicola sp. nov., is proposed, and the new species Ascochyta ulicis-caledoniensis, Phomopsis agrostidis, Phomopsis airae and Septocyta visci-britannica are described. In addition, the new combinations Phomopsis barbari (Cooke) Punith. and Septocyta visci (Bres.) Punith. & Spooner are proposed, and the following species are reported as new records for the UK: Ascochyta ligustri Sacc. & Speg., on Ligustrum, Ascochyta nigripycnidiicola Ondfej on Vicia cracca, Marssonina mali (Henn.) S. Ito on Malus sylvestris, Monochaetia cryptomeriae M. Wilson & Ford-Rob. on Taxus, Myxothyrium leptideum (Fr.) Bubik & Kabit on Vaccinium, Septoria inconspicua Berk. & M. A. Curtis on Plantago, Sphaceloma populi (Sacc.) Jenkins on Populus and Salix, and Stagonospora bellunensis (Speg.) Jorst. on Molinia. The fungi reported in this paper result largely from ongoing studies of the mycota of the Esher/Oxshott SSSI complex in Surrey, U.K Four new species, one of which represents a new genus, and five new British records from this site are presented, as well as further collections and new host records for Monochaetia cryptomeriae, previously published as British only from Scotland. Related studies on other British coelomycetes, which have identified a further undescribed species and three additional species new to Britain from other sites, are also presented here. The site at Esher/Oxshott covers an area of c. 400 ha and largely comprises acid, sandy soils (Bagshot Sands) supporting heathland as well as a wide range of other terrestrial and aquatic habitats. These include both ancient and secondary woodland composed particularly of Carpinus, Quercus and Fagus, with much Pinus and Betula, both of the latter being invasive onto the managed heathland. London Clay outcrops to the east of the area. Aquatic habitats present include ponds, streams, a spring line and bog, plus the bank of the river Mole. These areas often support Alnus glutinosa and Salix fragilis and in places sallows, mostly Salix cinerea subsp. oleifolia and S. caprea, are common. Almost the entire area is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and parts are also designated as Local Nature Reserve. The fungi of the area have been collected and recorded for many years, early foray reports going back well over a century, e.g. Step (1895). Fairly intensive work has been undertaken during the past two decades, and to date well over 3000 species have been recorded for which voucher material of most is held in K or IMI. It is the holotype locality for at least 35 species to date, including 27 hyphomycetes, although no coelomycetes have been previously described from the area. There is as yet no comprehensive account of

The collections described in this paper were obtained as part of a general mycological investigation of the Azores archipelago undertaken by BMS and G. B. Butterfill (Kew) during two visits to the Islands in April May 1995 and October November 1996. They form part of a larger collection of fungi which are currently under study. The Azores archipelago lies on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge some 1250 km west of the nearest part of Europe. It is tertiary in age and comprises nine main islands which are volcanic in origin and were never connected to any land mass. Since colonisation by European settlers during the 15th century their wildlife has, inevitably, been greatly influenced by human activity. The native flora, especially, has been and continues to be adversely affected in many areas, sometimes severely so, by the naturalisation and spread of exotic species from many parts of the world able to thrive in the mild, humid climate. This has also had an influence on the mycological composition of the Islands, as indicated by Dennis et al. (1977), some species having inevitably been introduced with their host plants. However, further study is required before the extent of this influence is fully understood. Mycological study of the Azores is comparatively recent in its origins. Earliest contributions date only from 1866 when Drouet (1866) listed 41 lichens and two species referred to the genus Peziza amongst species collected from the Islands in 1857. A review of the main mycological contributions, with lists of species and descriptions of new or additional Azorean fungi, was published (Dennis et al. 1977) following a visit to the Azores by R. W. G. Dennis in 1975. Since then, contributions have been few and a recent bibliography (Spooner & Butterfill 1998) includes just 62 items. Many of these concern plant pathogens and other species of economic importance and coelomycete studies in the Islands have been comparatively few. However, 53 species of coelomycetes were listed by Dennis et al. (1977), including 7

The genus Proboscispora Punith. was first validly published (Punithalingam 1984) with the type Proboscispora manihotis Punith., a (mitosporic) coelomycete. A detailed account of the genus and species was given by Nag Raj (1993). Wong & Hyde (1999) described an ascomycete found on submerged wood in North Queensland, Australia as a new genus Proboscispora with the type P aquatica. According to Article 53.1 of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (Greuter 1994) 'a name of a family, genus or species, unless conserved (Art. 14) or sanctioned (Art. 15), is illegitimate if it is a later homonym, that is if it is spelled exactly like a name based on a different type that was previously and validly published for a taxon of the same rank'. The name Proboscisp.ora S.-W. Wong & K. D. Hyde is a later homonym of Proboscispora Punith., and a new generic name is here proposed.

Phomopsis elaeidis sp.nov., P. eugeniae sp.nov., P.folliculicola sp.nov. and P. sedi sp.nov. are described and figured as new from culture. Phomopsis cancri nom.nov. is proposed for P. tipuanae Punithalingam.

Phomopsis commelinae sp.nov., P. hordei sp.nov., P. oryzae sp.nov., P. phyllanthi sp.nov., P. sacchari sp.nov. and P. sorghicola sp.nov. are described as new. The new combinations Phomopsis cocoina (Cooke) Punith. comb. nov. for Phoma cocoina Cooke and Phomopsis musicola (Stevens & Young) Punith. comb.nov. for Phyllosticta musicola Stevens & Young are made.

A new coelomycete species, Ascochyta allii-cepae , is described and illustrated from leaf blotches of spring-sown bulb onions in the British Isles.

This disease was 1st recorded in Qd on groundnut in 1964 and has since occurred intermittently. In experimental plots Valencia and Spanish type cvs. were more severely affected than Virginia types. Initially lesions are quite small, consisting of a few linear anastomosing necroses in an irregular pattern. The size increases until large areas of the leaflet are covered by the irregularly reticulate or net like necrosis with apparently healthy tissue in the spaces. The lesions are superficial and confined to the adaxial surface until late in their development when the necrosis may penetrate to the lower surface. Eventually a large reddish brown blotch forms and when several of these coalesce the whole leaflet may be affected. An Ascochyta like fungus was isolated from the lesions which appears to be the same as Mycosphaerella arachidicola Chochrakov (non M. arachidicola Jenkins), M. argenteniensis [RPP 49, 1228] and Phoma arachidicola [RPP 54, 3573] on groundnut, but because of the presence of pseudoparaphyses and brown ascospores the fungus is disposed as D. arachidicola comb. nov

A new coelomycete species, Ascochytulina pini-acicola , is described and illustrated on diseased primary needles of Pinus maximinoi from the highlands of Honduras.

The generic names Dichaena Fr., Heterographa Fee, Psilospora Rabenh. and Psilosporina Died. are all shown to be synonyms of Polymorphum Chev., a genus of Coclomycetes belonging to the Sphacropsidales, as a result of a study of the type material of the species on which they were based. These five genera were all based on a single species, formerly most commonly called Dichaena faginea (Chev.) Sacc., the correct name for which is shown to be Polymorphum rugosum (Fr.) D. Hawksworth & Punithalingam comb.nov. (syn. Dichaena rugosa Fr.). The ecology of the species is briefly discussed and it is considered to be characteristic of a distinct phytosociological taxon, the Dichaenetum fagineae (Barkm.) D. Hawksworth stat.nov. (syn. Dichaena faginea sociation Barkm.). A description and illustrations of the fungus are provided and reports of asci in this species are discussed. No perfect state has definitely been discovered, most reports of one being erroneous. If such a state is eventually discovered a perfect state name will be required for it, as all five generic names discussed here are typified by material belonging to an imperfect state.

The development of the pycnidium of Septoria chrysanthemella Sacc., S. obesa Syd., S. leucanthemi Sacc. & Speg. and S. socia Pass. is described, both in culture and on the appropriate host species. The mode of origin of the pycnidial primordia is predominantly meristogenous in S. chrysanthemella, S. obesa and S. socia . In S. leucanthemi pycnidial primordia may arise by both meristogenous and symphogenous processes. The subsequent development of primordia is similar in all four species. Histological evidence indicates that both schizogenous and lysigenous processes contribute to the formation of the pycnidial cavity. Spores then develop by the basipetal elongation of cells lining the cavity. This is followed by the formation of the pycnidial beak, which finally ruptures to form the ostiole.