This paper sketches the origins and the history of the British Mycological Society over its first century with emphasis on the individuals and institutions which have nurtured it.

A new staining method for the examination of active regions of hyphae is presented. Using a simple protocol, application of the fluorescent stain Mag fura (tetra-potassium salt) in low pH buffer to two filamentous fungi resulted in bright responses to active hyphal regions. Not only were active apices delineated, but more distal compartments were also found to respond to the stain. Some apices did not stain, presumably because they were inactive. It is believed that all stained regions retained cell membrane integrity and are thought to have had high membrane ATPase activity. All showed high nuclear and mitochondrial complements. The stain was apparently held within the cell wall structure, close to the cell membrane. It is hypothesized that it was responding to a localized flux of divalent cations from the cell membrane. With non-active regions, only a low level of response to the stain remained, at the exterior of the cell wall. This low emission is thought to be a response to contaminating ions in the buffer. It could be clearly distinguished from the bright response associated with the active regions. Counter-staining with other commonly used fluorescent probes showed these regions of low response (unless they were completely degenerated) still contained nuclear material and mitochondria.

The fluorescent signal from active regions of fungal hyphae was sufficiently bright and persistent for visualization by a conventional CCD camera. This will allow the development of image analysis protocols to measure the effects of environmental conditions on fungal physiology, using commonly available equipment.

Torrubiella hemipterigena and its anamorph, Verticillium hemipterigenum, are re-described from collections made on leafhoppers in Thailand. A new species, Verticillium pseudohemipterigenum, collected on scale insects on bamboo in Trinidad and Surinam, is proposed. Based on these collections, the taxonomic status of the genera Verticillium and Hirsutella is discussed.

Halosarpheia kandeliae sp. nov. collected on intertidal bark of Kandelia candel is described and its unique ascus morphology illustrated. It is compared with other Halosarpheia spp. and Aniptodera salsuginosa.

Previous studies with a monoclonal antibody (designated UB7) raised against isolated haustorial complexes formed by the pea powdery mildew fungus Erysiphe pisi showed that it recognized an abundant glycoprotein found in cell walls and plasma membranes of haustoria and the surface mycelium. In this paper, Western blotting and phase-partitioning in the detergent Triton X-114 have been used to show that the plasma membrane antigens recognized by UB7 comprise a 62 kDa integral glycoprotein and a set of integral membrane glycoproteins of lower molecular weight. A 59 kDa glycoprotein recognized by UB7 has been extracted from the fungus using aqueous buffer, and the evidence suggests that this represents the cell wall form of the antigen. Binding of UB7 is abolished by pre-treatment of glycoproteins with peptide-N-glycosidase, but is retained after endo-F treatment. This suggests that the epitope to which UB7 binds is the innermost N-acetylglucosamine residue of N-linked carbohydrate side chains of glycoproteins, possibly substituted with one or more sugars. When tested for cross-reactivity with other fungi, UB7 bound to some, but not all, of those examined, and recognized different sets of glycoproteins compared with those detected in E. pisi. However, UB7 did not bind to any higher plants nor to any animal glycoproteins tested. This antibody thus identifies a carbohydrate epitope restricted to glycoproteins in a subset of the fungi.

The growth characteristics and uptake capacities for NO3− and NH4+, as well as activities of nitrogen assimilating-enzymes have been determined in Scleroderma verrucosum. Biomass, grown on agar or liquid MMN media, was higher on nitrate. When S. verrucosum was grown in the presence of equal amounts of ammonium and nitrate, uptake rate for NH4+ was considerably higher than that of NO3−. In addition, it was found that a limitation in ammonium concentration was a prerequisite for nitrate uptake. Nitrate reductase was stimulated when the fungus was transferred from ammonium to nitrate containing media, indicating that the enzyme was inducible by nitrate and repressed by ammonium. Glutamine synthetase and NAD-glutamate synthase activities were clearly detected in S. verrucosum, while the NADP-glutamate dehydrogenase was almost undetectable. This is consistent with the view that ammonium assimilation occurs through the GS/GOGAT cycle in S. verrucosum.

To determine the relationship of Australian members of the genus Lepista with those from other parts of the world, genetic variation of isolates representing 27 accessions was assayed by cleaved amplified polymorphic sequences (CAPS) and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD). CAPS and RAPD identified eight and seven groups, respectively. CAPS Groups 1 and 2 and RAPD Group 1 consisted of French and Australian accessions classified as morphospecies L. nuda. CAPS Group 3 and RAPD Groups 2 and 2A consisted of mostly Australian isolates identified as L. sordida var. sordida or L. sordida var. umbonata. Isolates earlier identified as morphospecies L. sp. were also placed in CAPS Group 3 and RAPD Group 2A indicating that these isolates are L. sordida var. sordida. In addition, three smaller groups were distinguished. A French isolate of L. sordida var. sordida was placed in distinctly separate CAPS and RAPD groups to Australian L. sordida var. sordida Groups 4,4 respectively. A French isolate of L. sordida var. aianthina was placed in CAPS and RAPD Groups 3,3. An accession of L. saeva was placed in CAPS Group 6 and RAPD Group 5, separate from other isolates. RAPD Groups 6 and 7 consist, respectively, of Greek and American accessions of L. nuda that were only distantly related to the Australian and French accessions of this morphospecies: CAPS also separated these isolates from each other and from all other isolates.

The data suggest that the classification of morphospecies and varieties within Lepista cannot be determined on the basis of morphology alone. The Greek and American accessions of L. nuda are separated from the French and Australian accessions and may not be L. nuda. Similarly, the Australian accessions currently classified as L. sordida var. sordida together with the accessions of L. sordida var. umbonata are distinct from the French accessions of L. sordida var. sordida suggesting that Australian isolates may represent a new species or variety. Further studies using a combination of morphological and genetic characterization are required to provide a more accurate understanding of Lepista species.

Acervuli of E. mespili developed subcuticularly on both surfaces of infected Photinia leaves. Acervuli developed as single or aggregated, confluent structures. Conidium initials arose from hyphae which developed between the cuticle and epidermis. As conidia developed the cuticle was displaced and eventually ruptured. Development of the first conidium from a conidiogenous cell was holoblastic. Subsequent conidia developed in an enteroblastic, annellidic fashion. Three to four conidia arose from a single conidiogenous cell. A mature conidium consisted of four to six cells including an apical cell and a basal cell which developed first. These were separated by a septum with a plugged pore. A similar septum separated the basal cell from the conidiogenous cell. A long, slender, enucleate appendage then arose from the tip of the apical cell. During this time the basal cell gave rise to two to four small lateral cells, separated by septa from the basal cell. An appendage then developed from each lateral cell. Each cell of a mature conidium contained a single nucleus and a complement of cytoplasmic organelles and inclusions, many of which were more prominent in freeze substituted conidia than in chemically fixed conidia. The conidium wall labelled for chitin using wheat germ agglutin-gold conjugate. Its outer surface was coated with fibrillar material.

Fifty-five strains of Phanerochaete chrysosporium were isolated in South Africa, and screened for indicators of ligninolytic activity: lignin peroxidase (LiP), manganese peroxidase (MnP) and glyoxal oxidase (GLOX). MnP-production as a function of time was followed in all strains. Nine strains were selected for quantification of MnP, LiP and GLOX activities. Statistically significant variation in MnP and GLOX activities existed among the different strains. Under low nitrogen, LiP activity of selected strains showed no significant variation, whereas strain PP25 had significantly increased LiP levels under high nitrogen conditions. Probing genomic DNA with the genes encoding lignin peroxidase (lipD and lipI1), manganese peroxidase (mnp2), and glyoxal oxidase (glox) showed significant genetic diversity with lignin peroxidase and manganese peroxidase probes, but not with the glyoxal oxidase probe.

Genetic variation in three multiallelic loci was analysed with Temperature Gradient Gel Electrophoresis in order to assess the genetic population structure of Venturia tremulae var. tremulae in order to understand the evolutionary potential of the pathogen against resistance breeding. Also the identification of the fungus was verified with molecular analysis of reference isolates. The Fst and Gst values were very low indicating no substructuring or restrictions to gene flow between Fennoscandian populations of V. tremulae. The results imply high epidemiological efficiency of the fungus and therefore continuous breeding programme should be implemented for Venturia resistance of aspen.

Botrytis cinerea is known as a β-(1-3)(1-6)-D-glucan-overproducer with an exceptionally high degree of β-(1-6)-branches in the glucan. To localize and characterize the glucan synthase, the incorporation of [14C]glucose, activated by uridyl diphosphate and incubated with mycelial extracts, into ethanol-precipitable material was studied. Whereas crude extracts were found to produce α- and β-glucans, a pure β-(1-3)-D-glucan was formed by the membrane fraction. This was monitored by the complete cleavage into glucose with a purified β-(1-3)-glucanase and by the detection of laminaribiose, a β-(1-3)-linked dimer of glucose, in incomplete digestions. Degradation products with β-(1-6)-linkages, e.g. gentiobiose, which is found after degradation of the native polymer, were not detectable. β-(1-3)-glucan synthase activity was optimal at 22 °C and pH 7·2 with a Km of 0·8 mM and a Vmax of 0·24 mU mg−1 protein. GTP (Ka = 4·2 μM), cellobiose, BSA and EGTA enhanced the reaction whereas UDP (Ki = 0·45 mM) and Ca2+ inhibited it.

One characteristic feature of eukaryotic cells is the organization of special functions into membranous organelles such as vesicles, mitochondria, the Golgi apparatus or nuclei. The distribution and exact positioning is an active process and is crucial for the establishment of cell polarity. For molecular analysis of the processes, filamentous fungi are ideal model organisms because hyphae are extremely polarized cells which continuously extend at their tips. In this study a novel approach was used to isolate mutants in nuclear migration and hyphal morphology. Conidia of A. nidulans, in which nuclei were stained with the green fluorescent protein (GFP) were germinated and visually analysed in a fluorescence microscope. Strains with an abnormal nuclear distribution pattern or defects in polarized growth were isolated with a micro-manipulator and transferred to agar plates to form colonies. Approximately 70 mutants with a corresponding mutant phenotype were recovered, some of which are presented in this report.

A new dematiaceous hyphomycete, Elegantimyces sporidesmiopsis gen. et sp. nov., is described from decaying wood submerged in a stream in Hong Kong. It produces predominantly 3-septate, obclavate, versicoloured, solitary conidia at the apex of the sympodially regenerating conidiophores. The apical cell of the conidia is unique in becoming a sympodially proliferating conidiogenous cell producing an Idriella-like synanamorph. Conidial secession in this fungus is rhexolytic. Elegantimyces is compared with Sporidesmium bifasciatum, S. tropicale and S. urceolatum which also produce Idriella-like synanamorphs.

Scutellospora rubra is a new arbuscular mycorrhizal species trapped in a pot culture of rhizosphere soil from Eucalyptus dunnii. Spores are dark red-brown, 140–220 μm diam., and closely resemble those of S. heterogama in size, colour, and subcellular organization, but the outer layer of the spore wall is smooth rather than ornamented. Resolution of such species-level variation to properties of the spore wall is consistent with that measured among all other species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi studied to date.

The process is described of teliospore germination in Tilletia opaca and T. sumatii leading to the production of basidiospores on basidia, and later the development of ballistospores and blastospores on agar. In both species the basidium shows some evidence of being a condensed dichotomously branched structure. The situation in these two smuts is discussed in relation to that in several other species of Tilletia, and some consideration is given to the origin of the basidium and evolutionary trends within the genus.

Endogone maritima sp. nov. is described and illustrated. This fungus was recovered from around the roots of endomycorrhizal Ammophila arenaria, Corynephorus canescens, Juncus balticus, J. articulatus, and ectomycorrhizal Pinus sylvestris colonizing a deflation hollow of the Słowiński National Park in Poland. Endogone maritima produces sunflower to brownish yellow zygosporangia enveloped by a separable hyphal mantle consisting of interwoven hyphae appearing in section as a dense net. The zygosporangia occur both singly in the soil and in small, non-peridial sporocarps typically containing 2–7 zygosporangia.

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.

A rust fungus found on cultivars of Kalanchoe blossfeldiana (Crassulaceae) is described as a new species, Aecidium kalanchoe sp. nov., and compared to the other described rusts on members of the Crassulaceae. Only one other rust is known to parasitize Kalanchoe spp. A DNA sequence of A. kalanchoe suggests that the teleomorph is related to Puccinia.

Beltraniopsis miconiae sp. nov. was isolated on decaying leaves of Miconia cabussu and characterized by the constriction at the subequatorial zone of the conidium and inflated apical cell of the setiform conidiophore. It is described and illustrated and a key to the known Beltraniopsis species is provided.

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.