STUDIES OF CANADIAN THELEPHORACEAE: IV. CORTICIUM ANCEPS IN NORTH AMERICA

Abstract

A parasitic basidiomycete, referred to Corticium anceps (Bres. & Syd.) Gregor, has been found to be common on a large number of hosts in the Timagami Forest Reserve, Ont. The same species is known to occur also in Quebec and in four of the northern United States. The fungus is transferred to the genus Ceratobasidium. The history of our knowledge of this parasite is reviewed, and a description and illustration of the fungus is provided as well as a discussion of the symptomology with illustrations of the effect on several hosts. A full list of the hosts on which the fungus has so far been found in North America, with the provinces and states in which collections have been made, is given in tabular form. The incompleteness of our knowledge with reference to host specialization, infection, and colonization of the host, and overwintering of the fungus is discussed and suggestions made for future work.