Glycogen phosphorylase in the vegetative mycelium of Flammulina velutipes converts glycogen to α-glucose 1-phosphate (G1P) in the colony during fruit-body development. Glycogen may contribute to the synthesis of trehalose as the starting material in the vegetative mycelium during the fruiting process of the colony, and the trehalose produced is translocated into the fruit-bodies as the main carbohydrate substrate for their development. Trehalose phosphorylase activity in the vegetative mycelium was at a relatively high level until fruit-body initiation, suggesting the turnover of this disaccharide during the vegetative stage of the colony development. Trehalose phosphorylase activity in the stipes showed a peak level at the early phase of fruit-body development, suggesting the continuing phosphorolysis of trehalose by this enzyme. The stipes also showed a high specific activity of phosphoglucomutase at a sufficient level to facilitate the conversion of G1P to α-glucose 6-phosphate (G6P). In the pilei a large amount of G1P remained until the growth of the fruit-bodies ceased. Trehalase activities in the stipes and pilei were at a very low level, and this enzyme may not contribute to the catabolism of trehalose in the fruit-body development.

Aecidium dispori forms spermogonium and aecium on Disporum sessile and D. smilacinum, which are distributed in East Asia. The Aecidium species is found to be an aecial anamorph of a Puccinia fungus, with its uredinial-telial stage being formed on Carex conica, C. dolichostachya subsp. multifolia, C. pisiformis subsp. alterniflora and C. rugata. Urediniospores of this fungus are large, colorless, thick-walled with 4-5 equatorial germ pores. The morphological characteristics of urediniospores and the spermogonial-aecial host do not fit to any set of circumscribing characters of previously described species. We consider the fungus to be a new species and propose a new name, Puccinia albispora, for the fungus.

Seven strains of Fusarium were isolated from rotten fruit of banana (Musa cavendishii) imported into Japan from Mazanillo, Colima, Mexico. Morphological features of the isolates were described and illustrated, and their pathogenicity to banana was determined. Morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses revealed that these isolates were assignable to F. verticillioides. However, constant production of septate aerial conidia in chains by the banana isolates distinguished these strains from previous descriptions of this species. Morphological examination of the isolates revealed that they are consistent with Wollenweber's original concept of F. moniliforme var. minus. The effect of black light illumination on conidial production by these isolates was also tested. Black light stimulated production of sporodochial conidia of all banana isolates and had a positive effect on conidial length.

A taxonomic revision of Puccinia species causing rust diseases on sugarcane was conducted to clarify their morphological characteristics. Specimens including previously reported species, Puccinia melanocephala, P. kuehnii and Puccinia sp. sensu Muta, 1987, were collected in Japan and the Philippines and borrowed from various herbaria worldwide. Morphological characteristics of these specimens were examined under light and scanning electron microscopes. Comparative morphological studies of the specimens showed that rust fungi infecting sugarcane could be classified into two species, Puccinia melanocephala and P. kuehnii. Puccinia sp. sensu Muta was morphologically identical with P. kuehnii. Results of this study corroborate previous phylogenetic analysis results of D1/D2 regions of LSU rDNA gene.

Gymnopus piceipes is proposed as a new species within the section Vestipedes. It is characterized by a brown pileus, pale brown close lamellae, a solid black stipe that is not insititious, and conspicuous pleurocystidia.

Sclerotinia trillii n. sp., which attacks Trillium tschonoskii and T. smallii in Hokkaido and northern Honshu, Japan, is described. The characters identifying this species with the genus Sclerotinia are large tuberoid sclerotia, produced both on infected plants and in culture, which consisted of only mycelium (true sclerotia) and flesh apothecia produced on them. This species is distinguished from S. sclerotiorum, S. minor, S. trifoliorum, and S. nivalis by relatively large sclerotia, cultural colony appearance, and red-brown to yellow-brown, relatively large apothecium, in addition to its parasitic nature on Trillium. Sclerotinia trillii is a psychrophilic having an optimum temperature for mycelial growth at 15-20°C.

Melanomma dinghuense found on decaying wood is described as a new species and illustrated. It differs from all other species of Melanomma by the presence of longitudinally ridged ascospores. Its fruitbody cells contain Munk pore-like perforations. An anamorph which can be placed in Aposphaeria was obtained in culture.

Ramicandelaber, a new genus of Zygomycetes is erected to accommodate Ramicandelaber longisporus sp. nov. The fungus has hyphal septa with median plugs and forms homologous structures to sporocladia and pseudophialides. These characteristics suggest that it belongs to the Kickxellales, Zygomycetes.

The release of extracellular matrix (ECM) and the emergence of germ tubes from conidia of Blumeria graminis were studied by light microscopy and micromanipulation. More prompt and frequent ECM release was confirmed on an artificial hydrophobic substratum than on an artificial hydrophilic substratum. Conidia initially incubated on the hydrophilic substratum were transferred by micromanipulation to either the hydrophobic or the hydrophilic substrata. Immediately after transfer onto the hydrophobic substratum, 75% of conidia released ECM, whereas only 16% did so upon transfer to the hydrophilic substratum. Conidia transferred onto the hydrophobic substratum produced a primary germ tube (PGT) more promptly and frequently than those transferred to the hydrophilic substratum. Thus, conidia recognize and respond to substratum hydrophobicity perhaps immediately after contact. When inoculated onto either isolated barley cuticle or the hydrophobic artificial substratum, 2/3 of the conidia produced a PGT from their polar regions. By contrast, on the hydrophilic substratum 2/3 of conidia did so from the side region. These results show that substratum hydrophobicity affects the location of PGT emergence from conidia. Furthermore, the study indicates that very rapid recognition of surface hydrophobicity by conidia promotes ECM release and this in turn may influence the location of PGT emergence.

Three specimens of a new Pestalosphaeria species were obtained from a twig of Quercus myrsinaefolia from Kumamoto Pref., and from leaves of Rhododendron hybridum and Ricinus communis from Izu Peninsula, Shizuoka Pref. The collected materials were kept moist for 1 to 2 mo after collection. Monoascospore isolates from each specimen produced identical colonies with black slimy masses of conidia on them. Morphological characteristics of the conidia accorded well with those of Pestalotiopsis neglecta not only hitherto recorded but also formed on the same specimen. Hence, Pestalosphaeria gubae sp. nov. is proposed for the new species, as the teleomorph of Pestalotiopsis neglecta.

A new species of Aciculosporium, A. sasicola (anam. Albomyces sasicola ), is described and illustrated. The fungus differs from Aciculosporium take by its small asci and ascospores, though witches' broom and signs probably caused by the former on Sasa senanensis are similar to those caused by the latter on bamboos.

Cortinarius laccarioides sp. nov., found in deciduous forests, is described and illustrated. It is characterized by its small hygrophanous pileus, greyish red or greyish violet lamellae and stipe, and globose to subglobose basidiospores. The differences between C. laccarioides and similar species are briefly discussed.

Three species of Cortinarius subgenus Phlegmacium are described and illustrated for the first time in Japan: C. cumatilis var. cumatils, C. scaurus var. scaurus, C. xanthophyllus.

Umbelopsis nana and U. vinacea isolated from soils in Nagano Pref., Japan were redescribed and illustrated.