Kansas Mycological Notes: 1952

Abstract

The 1952 season was not particularly favorable for the development of fructifications of fungi as compared with the season of 1951 which had almost ideal moisture conditions. A deficiency of rainfall occurred throughout most of the season with drought conditions existing from the latter half of August through the remainder of the year. The saprophytic flora was curtailed and the collections of fleshy fungi were few. Several of the plant pathogenic fungi which in 1951 threatened to build up to epiphytotic proportions were completely checked by the dry conditions of 1952. For example, Dothistroma pini Hulbary, which is believed to be the cause of the serious needle-blight disease of pines, was not observed on any of the new needles produced in 1952 although abundant fruitbodies and spores were present on the 1950-51 meedles. Apparently the dry conditions, especially during May and June (3 inches of rainfall in 1952 compared with 17 inches for the two months in 1951), prevented infection of the developing needles. Fruitbodies of Dothistroma pini were found on two additional species of pine which were formerly thought to be resistant. On white pine (Pinus strobus L.) needle-blight symptoms were similar to those on the other susceptible pines (Austrian, western yellow, lodgepole and Swiss mountain pines), but on table mountain pine (Pinus pungens Lamb.) yellowish spots on only a few needles were noted. This is the first report in the United States of Dothistroma pini on these two species. Perhaps the most interesting fungus record new for Kansas was Ascoidea rubescens Brefeld & Lindau, a primitive ascomycete found in the slime flux of American elm (Ulmus americana L.). A brownish feltlike mat of mycelium was developed on the moist slime flux in which broad hyphae bore terminal cells (the asci) containing many hat-shaped ascospores similar to those produced in some yeast fungi. Single-celled, hyaline conidia were also produced on stout, erect conidiophores. The fungus was first collected in October on an old elm tree along Wildcat Creek. Later the fungus was found by S. M. Pady to be fairly common on elm trees on the Kansas State College campus and along the streets of Manhattan. Dr. Pady was able to culture the organism but only the