Cyttaria gunnii. [Descriptions of Fungi and Bacteria].
Abstract A description is provided for Cyttaria gunnii. Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. DISEASE: A highly evolved and highly specific obligate parasite causing often spectacular cankers only on branches of Nothofagus species. Fruitbodies only appear on the cankers; this fungus does not cause wood decay. HOSTS: Nothofagus cunninghamii, N. fusca, N. menziesii (Fagaceae). GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: AUSTRALASIA: Australia (Tasmania, Victoria); New Zealand (Auckland, Buller, Dunedin, Fiordland, Gisborne, North Canterbury, Nelson, Otago Lakes, Southland, Taupo, Westland). TRANSMISSION: Not known, but presumably infection is by wind-dispersed ascospores. The reasons postulated by INGOLD (1988) for evolution of the golf ball shape of fruitbodies of Cyttaria espinosae Lloyd [IMI Descriptions No. 1593] are doubtless also valid for this species.