Introduction to the Kunming (Yunnan, China) herbarium

Mu Zang
 

It is widely understood that China shelters one of the richest mycofloras in the world. The variety of ecological zones, topological relief, and geographical extent supports this fact. The oldest and largest mycological collection in the country is that maintained at the Institute of Microbiology, Academia Sinica, in Beijing. The herbarium (acronym: HMAS) was established in 1953 and now houses over 75,000 specimens of fungi.

The rapid development of mycology in China during the last two decades has not been brought to international attention (but see Bartholomew, Brittonia 31: 1-25, 1979; Ma, Taxon 38: 617-620, 1989). It is a pleasure, therefore, to introduce the mycological herbarium at Kunming, Yunnan, and to welcome foreign visitors and loan requests.

The southwestern Province of Yunnan extends from the southern humid lowland tropical climate of Xishuangbanna across the Mekong River from Thailand to the distinctly temperate to subalpine forests north of Lijiang. The mycota of the region reflects this botanical and ecological richness. Mycological collecting has been active for nearl 30 years, and now the Cryptogamic Herbarium at Kunming (acronym HKAS) houses nearly 35,000 fungi, 20,000 lichens, and 75,000 bryophytes from the province and the country at large, as well as from Taiwan, Tibet, and Hainan Island.

Over the past 15 years, several books [i.e., Flora Fungorum Sinicorum I (1987), II (1992), and III (1998); Extensive Mycology (1998); Fungi of the Hengduan Mountains (1996)] and papers in leading mycological journals have reported especially on the higher fungi of the area.

Loan requests and research visits are encouraged and welcomed. Contact can be made with the following: Mu Zang and Xing-Jiang Li (Editor of Bryoflora of China) (muzang@public.km.yn.cn), Da-cheng Zhang and Li-song Wang (zhangdc@kib.ac.cn), or Zhu-liang Yang (zlyang@public.km.yn.cn).

by Angel M Nieves-Rivera
 
 
 

Plasmodial slime molds (formerly known as myxomycetes) are fungal-like protozoans that produce a motile multinucleate protoplasm lacking a cell wall known as a plasmodium. Early literature treated myxomycetes as saprophytic organisms. Italian botanist Pier Antonio Micheli, who described and illustrated the saprophytic myxomycetes Clathroides [= Arcyria], Ceratiomyxa, Fuligo, Lycogala, Mucilago, Reticularia, and Clathroidastrum [= Stemonitis] in his " Nova Plantarum Genera" (1729), was the first to describe a plasmodium (Ainsworth 1976).

Myxomycete taxonomy has caused problems for scientists, who have variously included "myxomycetes" in the Basidiomycota as Lycoperdales, treated them as mitosporic fungi as Mucorales, placed them in the Protoctista along with the Chromista, and more recently, the Protozoa. But it was Heinrich Anton de Bary, in the first edition of his textbook, Morphologie und Physiologie der Pilze, Flechten, und Myxomyceten (1866), who first treated them as an independent taxon, Mycetozoa, in the kingdom Protozoa (Ainsworth 1976). [For additional historical background, see Ainsworth (1976), Martin & Alexopoulos (1969), Farr 1976), Stephenson & Stempen (1994), Alexopoulos et al. (1996)].

One of the first types of fungal-like phytopathogenic protozoa discovered was an endoparasitic slime mold now known as Plasmodiophora brassicae. The Russian scientist Michael S. Woronin showed that P. brassicae was the causal agent of the clubroot disease of cabbage (Woronin 1878). The Plasmodiophorales are often referred to as parasitic slime molds because they are characterized by a multinucleate plasmodial stage also found in true myxomycetes, and because they parasitize algae, cryptogams, and filamentous fungi as well as higher plants (Karling 1942). Some Plasmodiophorales have been included in the Mycetozoa (in the Monadinae, Proteomyxa, Rhizopoda, and Chytridiales) by protozoologists and mycologists alike (Karling 1942). Typical examples of phytopathogenic protozoans included in the Plasmodiophoromycetes are Plasmodiophora brassicae in crucifers, Polymyxa graminis in grain crops and peanuts, P. betae in beets, and Spongospora subterranea in potatoes (Karling 1942; Agrios 1997). Phytopathogenic protozoans are not restricted to terrestrial or freshwater environments; they have also been found in marine and estuarine habitats. The marine Plasmodiophoromycetes Plasmodiophora bicaudata, P. maritima, and P. halophilae are associated with marine algae or sea grasses (Johnson & Sparrow 1961).

Although slime molds have attracted the attention of mycologists and protozoologists worldwide, their phytopathogenic potential is not yet proven (Alexopoulos et al. 1996). Thom & Raper (1930) reported that Waksman, in his 1927 Principles of Soil Microbiology (p. 236), includes myxomycetes among species that are "plant parasites. Golenia & Rebendel (1970) and Filipowicz (1979), who observed Diachea leucopodia and species of Stemonitaceae on young and old leaves of strawberry plants in Poland, noted that the myxomycetes did not appear to produce any visible symptoms in the plants. Curiously, Filipowicz employed the term "patogenami" [= pathogens] to refer to those myxomycete species that cover strawberry leaves. Similarly, Couch (1995) and Agrios (1997) use the term "disease" to refer to myxomycetes covering leaves of begonia, strawberries, turfgrass or vegetables.

For two decades after the economic and sociological distress caused by the 1845 potato blight in Ireland, plant pathologists deliberated over the definition of a phytopathogenic organism (Ainsworth 1981). This controversy ended with de Bary's memoirs of 1861 and 1863, in which he recognized the importance of phytopathogenic fungi and fungal-like organisms. This laid the foundations of plant pathology that were later followed by Nobel prize-winner Robert Koch, who with his famous Koch's postulates initiated the first pathogenicity test (Ainsworth 1981; Agrios 1997). Until that time, it was generally believed that plant diseases were the visitations of Divine wrath, a plague or pestilence as recorded by the Old Testament Hebrew prophet Amos (Amos 4: 9-10).

In the 1870s, after de Bary's insights, plant pathology developed rapidly, and many infections and their mechanisms continued to be discovered and clarified. But even with the discovery of bacterial, viral, and deficiency disorders, fungal diseases and those caused by fungal-like organisms are still considered the most important phytopathogens.

Myxomycetes in low-lying vegetation -- A plasmodium feeds on decomposing organic matter and bacteria. This mass of protoplasm grows mostly in top soil and thatch. Under the proper environmental conditions, the hidden plasmodium resurfaces from soil, creeps on low-lying vegetation such as grasses, and fruits on top of the plant surface. Leaves may be covered with a translucent to creamy white or yellowish slimy growth (Couch 1995). Fruit bodies (e.g., sporangia, aethalia) sporulate, and spores are disseminated by different mechanisms, including insects, water, and – especially – wind.

Myxomycetes are saprobes, and their fruiting bodies may cover portions of low-lying plants but do not infect them (Couch 1995; Agrios 1997). Apparently, the plasmodium does not affect the leaf by reducing its photosynthesis or respiration, as true fungi do [e.g., sooty molds (Tedders & Smith 1976; Wood et al. 1988), powdery mildews (Mignucci & Boyer 1979)]. Sooty molds, for instance, have a dense dematiaceous mycelial mat that acts as a suppressor for light penetration (up to 98% in pecan leaves), while one would expect no such suppression to occur in myxomycetes with a thin translucent or transparent plasmodium. It is possible, however, that protozoan plasmodia physically interfere with photosynthesis, transpiration, respiration (or all three), and thus alter the plant’s normal physiological metabolism at a micro-level [e.g., affecting the chloroplasts, preventing free foliar gas exchange (Shtienberg 1992), or altering the stomatal closure (Matteoni & Sinclair 1983)].

Although in many fungal and bacterial diseases, the overall chlorophyll content of the leaf is lowered (Goodman et al. 1986; Shtienberg 1992), it is suspected that in myxomycetes the photosynthetic activity of the remaining chlorophyll seems to remain unaffected. This hypothesis, however, has not yet been tested. My own observations of Physarum cinereum on the surface of bean leaves and Dictydium cancellatum in turfgrass confirm an asymptomatic condition in the plants. Turfgrass blades, petioles, and portions of the axis viewed under a dissecting microscope appeared healthy-looking, even though covered with fructifications.

Although there may be minor physiological changes that occur in plants due to covering of the leaf by a plasmodium, it is not well understood how or why species of myxomycetes prefer certain types of low-lying vegetation. Fuligo septica and Physarum cinereum usually fruit on living shrubs, lawns, weed grasses, cultivated turfgrasses, or bryophytes (cf. Stephenson & Studlar 1985). Fuligo septica, Mucilago spongiosa, and P. cinereum are known to colonize the surface of turfgrass leaves and have been reported in North America (Sharnoff 1991; Stephenson & Stempen 1994; Couch 1995; Alexopoulos et al. 1996). Although "crawling" (amoeboidal movement) into low-lying plants requires a certain amount of energy from myxomycetes, energy consumption is minimal, and location on leaves kept at a certain distance off the substrate is excellent for aeolian dispersal (Stephenson & Studlar 1985).

It is evident that a plasmodium does not invade the internal tissues of the plant, but does a heavy plasmodial growth cause a minor obstruction to foliar respiration? This hypothesis also has not yet been tested. It is known that the rate of respiration in plants with fungal or bacterial infections tends to increase as epithelial tissues consume their carbohydrate reserves more quickly (Goodman et al. 1986; Agrios 1997). This accelerated rate occurs shortly before fructifications are formed, and continues to rise during fungal growth and sporulation, after which respiration lowers to normal levels or below. (Goodman et al. 1986).

Fungal and fungal-like diseases can cause several metabolic changes in a plant. For example, respiratory pathways could be changed because of increased enzymatic activity. During this increase, there is a possibility that phenolic compounds will accumulate and oxidize, probably in association with defense mechanisms of the host plant. Also, the pentose pathway, a major source of phenolic compounds, might be increasingly activated. Because of an obstructed respiration, more fermentation is involved, and there is a rapid need for sufficient energy, which aerobic respiration would supply. An increase in the metabolism can also explain the rise in respiratory rates of these plants (Goodman et al. 1986; Agrios 1997).

Control -- Because myxomycetes do not represent a threat to economically important plants, few control studies have been conducted. Although Agrios (1997) recommends the use of fungicides, such as captan or thrinam, he also emphasizes that control is unnecessary against myxomycetes. On the other hand, Couch (1995) reports that myxomycetes may be effectively controlled by the application of any of the fungicides for turfgrass; he does not, however, recommend the removal of spore masses by washing the leaves in water. This common practice is ineffective, because slime mold development is favored by moist conditions; thus, washing will only serve to spread the myxomycete to unaffected plants (Couch 1995). Alexopoulos et al. (1996) recommend a simple, low-cost remedy for this "disease"– mowing the lawn!

In conclusion, myxomycetes are saprobes that cover low-lying plants with plasmodium and fructifications without "infecting" them. Further research is need to determine whether myxomycetes cause any minor physiological changes (photosynthesis, transpiration, or gas exchange) to their "host" plants. To control myxomycetes, my recommendation would be to avoid using fungicides, mow the lawn, and put your fears to rest!

Thanks are expressed to mycologists Drs SL Stephenson (who also supplied the photographs by Bill Roody and Emily Johnson) and LL Norvell, and to phytopathologists Drs R Rodríguez and LI Rivera-Vargas for critically reviewing the text. I would like to acknowledge the cooperation of Dr JS Mignucci, Mrs C Amorós and WI Mercado during the course of this study.

References

Communicated by Mary Palm

The following summary of the recently passed Plant Protection Act was written by Paula Henstridge, a senior advisor in USDA/APHIS/PPQ. Ms Henstridge, who previously served as the liaison between APHIS and Congress, is very familiar with the Plant Protection Act due to her involvement in its development during the past 17 years. Paula has agreed to answer any of our questions about the PPA in the following issue of Inoculum. Please send questions to (Paula.Henstridge@usda.gov) and put the keyword "Mycology" in the subject.

"Dear PPQ Personnel:

The good news is that the Plant Protection Act passed, after 17 years of trying! To give you a summary or what the Act does for PPQ:

It repeals 11 laws, including the Plant Quarantine Act, the Federal Plant Pest Act, and the Federal Noxious Weed Act, and replaces them with one flexible statutory framework, giving the Secretary of Agriculture (and thus PPQ through delegated authority) the ability to prohibit or restrict imports, exports, or interstate movements of plant pests, plants, plant products, noxious weeds, biological control agents, and means of conveyance. The Secretary may also regulate the use of facilities in relation to imports, exports, and interstate movement.

It increases civil penalties to a maximum of $50,000 for an individual (it remains at $1,000 maximum for the first-time offender at ports of entry where the individual is determined to be carrying the product for personal use and not for commercial gain--the so-called "granny clause"). Civil penalties for other than individuals are increased to a maximum of $250,000 per violation with a maximum of $500,000 in a single adjudication. Criminal penalties may also be applied when the violation is intentional. Criminal penalties are tied to the exisitng criminal code.

It provides subpoena authority for the first time. This means the Secretary can issue a subpoena to compel the testimony of witnesses or the production of documentary evidence. We will be required to estabish guidelines for the issuance of subpoenas (APHIS already has a track record for this through its Animal Care program).

Although it doesn't change the way we regulate biological control, it does recognize it as a beneficial tool for the first time, separating it from "plant pest" in the context of the definitions.

It significantly enhances our ability to address noxious weed problems. Currently, our ability to deal with noxious weeds is limited by definition to weeds that are new to or not widespread in the United States. The new definition is placed in the context of risk, i.e., is the weed harming agriculture, navigation, irrigation, natural resources, public health, etc.? For the first time, the Agency will have the authority to declare an emergency (triggering a transfer of funds from other sources in the Department), or an extraordinary emergency (triggering extraordinary intrastate authority when a newly introduced weed poses a significant threat). As with all other pest issues, extraordinary emergency authority is severely limited to prevent the Secretary from usurping state's rights.

It authorizes the Secretary to work cooperatively with industry on so-called "quality assurance" programs. As an example, the Secretary could use this authority to publish in the CFR, biosecurity measures or other quality measures agreed to by a given industry. If members of the industry wish to voluntarily comply with those measures, they could be authorized to put a predetermined quality seal or sticker on their product.

It reaffirms the principle of federal preemption. This is a much misunderstood area, so let me provide a little background. Under the Constitution, no state may regulate foreign commerce. This legislation simply restates that principle. I am aware that many states impose restrictions of imports, but they are doing so at their own risk. If the importer or foreign government challenged them in court, their restrictions would not stand.

In the area of interstate commerce, PPQ has had preemption for many years and this legislation reaffirms it. What that means is, in the absence of a federal quarantine on interstate movement, states are free to impose any restrictions they wish on interstate movement of commodities. However, once the Secretary has promulgated a regulation, states may not impose any restrictions that differ from that regulation. The legislation does allow people to petition the Secretary for an exemption (more or less stringent requirements), based on a special needs. The burden for demonstrating that need rests with the petitioner, and the Secretary makes the final determination.

Additional legislation was passed as part of the Crop Insurance Bill to authorize up to $10,000 in civil penalties for harming or interfering with an agricultural inspection animal (the Beagle Brigade or any similar inspection animal that might be used by the Department).

These are some of the highlights of the legislation. If you have any questions on any of these provisions or would like more information, please send me an email and I will respond directly or in the next issue of Inoculum."

*Plant Protection Act is Title IV of the Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000, bill no. H.R. 2559

Letter to the Editor

A member of the American Lands Alliance who serves on the US Department of the Interior’s Invasive Species Advisory Committee presents her objections to wording of the Plant Protection Act (described in the preceding article)

In June 2000, the new Plant Protection Act was passed by the Congress and sent to President Clinton for signature. The bill is Title IV of H.R. 2559, the Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000 (the crop insurance program). The new PPA replaces the Plant Quarantine Act, Plant Pest Act, Federal Noxious Weed Act, and other statutes. From my perspective, passage of the PPA is a mixed blessing.

As is often the case, the bill begins with a series of Congressional "findings" which have no legal force but set the tone. The "findings" in the Plant Protection Act push in opposite directions: in some cases stressing the need for strong programs, in other cases stressing the importance of facilitating trade (which is the principal means by which unwanted plant pests and weeds enter the country). While others dispute my interpretation, I remain quite concerned by finding #3, which reads, "(3) it is the responsibility of the Secretary to facilitate exports, imports, and interstate commerce in agricultural products and other commodities that pose a risk of harboring plant pests or noxious weeds in ways that will reduce, to the extent practicable as determined by the Secretary, the risk of dissemination of plant pests or noxious weeds;"

I am concerned that a standard of "reducing" risks "to the extent practicable" does not set a sufficiently high standard for improving APHIS' performance in preventing introductions. Bear in mind that the General Accounting Office, Congressional Research Service, Professor Marc Miller, and even the National Plant Board in its Safeguarding Review have expressed concern that APHIS' attempts to "balance" its roles re trade facilitation and protection from invading pests results in lowered protection standards.

The PPA gives a strong endorsement to biological control in finding #2, which some may find too one-sided. The definition of noxious weed [Sec. 403(10)] now allows APHIS to act against a weed that is established in the country, not just new introductions. It also allows APHIS to act against a native plant that "can directly or indirectly injure or cause damage to ... agriculture, irrigation, navigation, the natural resources of the United States, the public health, or the environment." APHIS is no longer required to "list" a plant species before regulating it as a noxious weed.

The definition of plant pest [Sec. 403(14)] for the first time includes vertebrate animals that "can directly or indirectly injure, cause damage to, or cause disease in any plant or plant product."

Under Sec. 411, anyone importing, exporting, or moving in interstate commerce any plant pest must have a [general or specific] permit from the USDA. It is also specifically illegal to mail any plant pest without having such a permit. In contrast, USDA must issue regulations specifically addressing the following [Sec. 412]: import, export, or movement of a noxious weed or biocontrol agent, or any article or means of conveyance that may harbor a plant pest or noxious weed.

Because of controversy about APHIS’ recent performance in regulating such articles – particularly how it sets priorities for approving imports of articles and the risk assessment process it has used to evaluate the conditions under which such imports should be allowed – the PPA requires APHIS to issue, within one year, a notice for public comment on the procedures and standards it will follow in response to importers’ requests to import something, including how to involve the public in the risk assessment process, how to assign priority, guidelines for early solicitation of relevant scientific and economic information, guidelines for ensuring that its risk assessment process will be transparent and clarify assumptions and uncertainties in the process.

Furthermore, within two years, APHIS must report on how it will improve programs to prevent introduction of plant pathogens travelling on plants or plant products. Scientists from state departments of agriculture, academia, the private sector, and the Agricultural Research Service will participate in the study.

The PPA greatly strengthened APHIS’ enforcement powers, including allowing higher fines (fines up to $50,000 for individual, $250,000 for corporation), giving the agency the power to issue a subpoena, expanding the agency's ability to institute an "extraordinary emergency" to prevent the spread of weeds as well as pests that are "new to or not known to be widely prevalent or distributed within and throughout the United States." However, USDA must take the least drastic action "that is feasible and that would be adequate to prevent the dissemination of any plant pest or noxious weed new to or not known to be widely prevalent or distributed within and throughout the United States." Furthermore, the pest or weed must threaten "plants or plant products." [USDA attorneys stated repeatedly that such damage might be to any plant, not just an agricultural one; we'll see whether APHIS now puts a higher priority than previously on protecting plants in natural ecosystems.] As in the past, USDA/APHIS can institute an "extraordinary emergency" only when the Secretary of Agriculture finds that state efforts are inadequate to eradicate the pest or weed the pest or weed. (Since most scientists believe it is rarely possible to eradicate an invader, this phrase might open some interesting opportunities -?)

When someone imports a plant, plant product, biocontrol agent, plant pest, or noxious weed, US Customs must hold the shipment and inform USDA of its arrival [Sec. 413(a)]. The importer of any plant, plant product, biocontrol agent, plant pest, noxious weed, or any article or means of conveyance required to have a permit, must also notify USDA of the incoming shipment [Sec. 413(b)]. Furthermore, no one may move any plant, plant product, biocontrol agent, plant pest, noxious weed, article, or means of conveyance from the port of entry until such movement has been authorized by USDA [Sec. 413(c)], giving APHIS a chance to inspect it.

Sec. 421 enhances APHIS’ inspection powers as follows:

(B) (1) the agency need not find probable cause to inspect a person or means of conveyance entering country

1. states can't regulate any article, conveyance, etc. in foreign commerce to control or eradicate a pest or weed
2. except as provided in paragraph (2), a state cannot regulate any article, conveyance, etc. in interstate commerce to control or eradicate a pest or weed if USDA has issued a regulation re: that species;

The Plant Protection Act failed to incorporate many of the suggestions laid out by me and various others seeking to strengthen the US’ phytosanitary program. The law also presents a possible obstacle to my most important recommendations: that APHIS act aggressively to protect the country – specifically its forests – from alien species which pose one of two kinds of threats: the potential damage from insufficiently known organisms, or "moderate" damage that in itself may not be severe but which adds to the cumulative burden on our forests. This recommendation lies behind my frequent call for adoption of a goal of "0 risk."
 
 
 

We hope that those of you attending the MSA annual meeting receive this Inoculum before leaving for Vermont. On page 14, Foray Chairman Don Ruch provides his usual excellent habitat notes and itinerary for the Sunday, July 30, foray to the Indian Brooks Conservation Area. Hard-working Faye Murrin’s Program-at-a-Glance can be found on Page 15. (Note that these two pages can be easily removed from the "staple" center.) Judi Ellzey will -- even at this last date -- welcome items for the highly popular MSA Auction scheduled for after the barbecue dinner on Wednesday.

Once more, the Editor acknowledges the proof-reading mastery of Laurel Carroll. We have decided that, in the absence of contrary opinion, "webpage" is indeed one word and that "pp." should be reinstated to its proper place in bibliographic references. NOTE: a definition can be found on p. 247 of a dictionary that has 987 pp.

As the deadline for Inoculum 51(5) occurs only two weeks after the MSA Annual Meeting, the Editor urges members to take good notes, snap plenty of photos (particularly if you happen to have a new high-resolution digital camera), and send everything as soon as possible to her in time for the August 15 deadline. (This includes biographies AND photos of all the award winners.)

MSA is indeed fortunate that Don Ruch has agreed to become Editor of Inoculum, beginning with 52(1). This means that after the last issue of Year 2000 is put to bed (deadline, October 15), all features, news items, reports, photos, and drawings should be sent to Don (druch@gw.bsu.edu) early so that he has time to prepare his first issue in time for mailing on January 15, 2001.
 

From the President

Dear friends and colleagues:

It is that time of year when many of us divide our time among meetings, research and enjoying the summer. Plans are finalizing for the MSA meeting in Burlington (Council Meeting on Saturday, July 29, Foray on Sunday July 30, Registration beginning on Sunday afternoon July 30 at the Living-Learning Center Dorms, Mixer for all registrants Sunday evening (with a microbrew beer tasting), Sessions commencing on Monday, July 31). The program is big, with 8 symposia and 75 student presentations. Hats off to Program Chair, Faye Murrin, who has in her words "squeezed an elephant into a bikini" and arranged a full, but well-paced, program. Remember to send or mail items for the MSA Auction (contact Judi Ellzey at <jellzey@utep.edu>).

If you are a member of an MSA committee, you are invited to a reception at Waterman Manor on Tuesday, August 1 from 6:30-8:00. Refreshments will be served. Plan to share ideas and brain-storm about new directions for the coming year.

In the April issue of Inoculum a call went out for those interested in succeeding Lorelei Norvell with issue 52. I am pleased to announce that Don Ruch will be taking over as Editor of Inoculum. Don is at Ball State University and has served the MSA as Foray Coordinator and as Chair of the Education Committee.

In this issue of Inoculum Keith Seifert and I have written an article about the symposium organized by Rob Samson in honor of Walter Gams' retirement at CBS. The Symposium was actually a major international mycological meeting with over 100 attendees. This, the British Mycological Society Millenium Symposium on Tropical Mycology (held April 25-29 at Liverpool), and the Asian Mycologial Congress (July 9-14) are the three international mycological meetings that have received MSA support this year.

As I noted in my last letter, the MSA has three representatives (Mary Palm, Jim Worrall, and Jeff Stone) on Working Groups advising ISAC, the US Department of the Interior’s Invasive Species Advisory Committee. ISAC is working on the first version of the Management Plan for invasive species called for by President Clinton's Executive Order 13112. The working groups, staff, and some writers hired for the purpose will produce a draft Management Plan by the end of June. In July, a version of the report should be released for public comment. This report will be made available for public comment through a number of Listening Sessions during the period 10 - 18 July; the listening sessions are tentatively to be held in California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, New York. State governments will also be encouraged to comment at this time (several representatives of state agencies are on the Advisory Committee). Following the listening sessions, the Advisory Committee will reconvene and devote two full days to discussing the draft, the comments received, etc. A revised version of the Management Plan is due to be released in August, again for public comment. The "final" version of this – the first of a series of plans – is due to be published before the end of 2000. Faith Campbell of the American Lands Alliance is on ISAC and has kept us informed about its activities (I have paraphrased a message from her). Faith can be reached at (Phytodoer@aol.com).

As I write this, I am hoping that a full announcement of the new US Plant Protection Act will make the Inoculum deadline. The Plant Protection Act has been passed, after 17 years in the making. It was passed by Congress as part of the Crop Insurance Bill and is expected to be signed by the President. The Act consolidates authority for phytosanitary programs, including noxious weeds. The Plant Pest Act, Plant Quarantine Act, Federal Noxious Weed Act,and about 9 other statutes will no longer be in force once President Clinton signs the PPA. APHIS will be taking a more central role.

As my correspondence indicates, some of you are stimulated by the discussion of the PhyloCode in Scott Redhead's Commentary in the last Inoculum, a response to David Hibbett and Michael Donoghue's 1998 review in Mycologia. You can find out more about PhyloCode and join a discussion group at (http://www.ohiou.edu/phylocode/). In another area of controversy, there are least two venerable basidiomycetologists dismayed about a preliminary initiative of an ad hoc MSA committee (Moselio Schaechter, Tom Volk, Judy Roger, Lorelei Norvell and Scott Redhead) to investigate the establishment of a joint MSA-NAMA Commission on Common Names of Fungi. Some controversy is good – thanks to Scott for stirring the pot. The proposal for a commission has been approved in principle by the NAMA Board of Trustees present at the recent NAMA meeting in Beaumont, Texas and will be considered by MSA Council at the July 29 meeting in Burlington. In the words of one NAMA Board Member, "Its about time!"

The questionaire sent out via email by Allen Marketing and Management drew almost 400 responses. AM&M has been able to check returned emails and improve our email address list. I am processing the responses –– bearing in mind that this is happening late at night, thankfully only a few respondents were testy. There is also at least one nomination of Lorelei Norvell for sainthood. So far I have learned that MSA members are cosmopolitan and gregarious - publishing in a staggering variety of journals and affiliating with myriad other societies and their meetings. Clearly we are not a homogenous or inwardly focussed group! MSA members outside of North America should note that in ranking MSA activities, proposing policy areas of interest, and certainly in the open comment section you can share your concerns as MSA members. Please share your thoughts.

It is also the time of year when we disburse funds for MSA awards. Now is a great time to contribute to your favorite fund - and honor your mycological mentors.

Looking forward to seeing many of you in Burlington!
 
 
 

MSA-International Committee

The MSA-IC acts as an advocate for non-North American members and proposes initiatives leading to long-term collaboration between MSA and other mycological associations and societies. In particular, it serves to foster mycological expertise as well as promote congenial interactions among MSA members in the international community. There are currently five members on the committee. Continuing members Teresa Iturriaga, Chair (1997-2000 -- titurri@usb.ve), Pedro Crous (1997-2000 -- pwc@mail.sun.ac.za), and Kevin Hyde (1998-2001 -- kdhyde@hkucc.hkm.hk) were joined last year by new members Sharon Cantrell (1999-2002 -- sharonac@coqui.net) and Leif Ryvarden (1999-2002 -- leif.ryvarden@bio.uio.no)

In order to have some idea of what MSA members are doing internationally, so that we can further MSA-IC goals, we need you to send us the following information:

1. Do you have projects, collaborations or agreements with foreign institutions/mycologists/countries? If yes, let us know with whom, where, and what type of collaboration (teaching, research, consultant) is taking place.

2. We also need your help in developing a database on tropical mycological literature that will provide easily accessed information to our members who would otherwise have few or no available mycological references. Would you be able to contribute taxonomic and ecologically relevant literature (keys and descriptions, other tropical mycological literature) to be scanned and posted via the MSA webpage?

3. We are working on creating a complete list of systematic specialists on tropical fungi. Would you please tell us what tropical taxa you are familiar with, and would you be willing to share your expertise with others who need it?

4. Would you be interested in helping establish links between MSA and International members (grad students and professionals), by discussing both post doctoral experience and employment options during the MSA congress in Vermont in August? We are considering setting up an evening mentoring session if sufficient interest is expressed.

PLEASE SEND your answers to these questions to TERESA ITURRIAGA. Email titurri@usb.ve, FAX 58-2-9063064, POST Departamento Biología de Organismos, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Apartado 89000, Sartenejas, Baruta, Edo. Miranda, Venezuela.

Thanks so much for your interest!

Teresa Iturriaga, Chair

Beginning in January of next year, the cover of each issue of Mycologia will bear an image. Cover art will reflect the content of an article included in that issue or will be of general mycological interest. Authors may include candidate photos related to their article together with manuscripts, when submitting to the editorial office for review. A separate file of candidate cover art of general mycological interest is being assembled and your contributions are solicited. For this latter category, please send pictures to Richard J Howard, DuPont Agricultural Products, PO Box 80402, Wilmington DE 19880-0402, or email at Richard.J.Howard@usa.dupont.com. Beautiful and interesting images of fungi, whether macro or microscopic, black-and-white or color, would be much appreciated and appropriately credited.

Summary of Email Council Actions Date

Council approved the appointment of Don Ruch of Ball State University, as the new editor of Inoculum, to succeed Lorelei Norvell when her term expires at the end of Volume 51. Council also approved up to $1000 for Don to purchase the computer software necessary for production of Inoculum.
 
 
 

This year's annual foray will take place in the Indian Brook Conservation Area (IBCA) near the University of Vermont on Sunday, July 30. IBCA contains nearly 1000 acres and includes a large lake and a diversity of woodland habitats. According to Robert Resnik, our local representative, the area consists of a large mixed hardwood forest with some intermittent pine forest. Habitats range from ridgetop communities to rich bottomlands. In addition to the large lake, there are creeks and creek banks. With a little help from the "rain gods," it sounds like this year's trip should provide some good collecting.

You should note that temperatures can reach the 90s (°F), with high humidity in Vermont in July and August. Light clothing (but not short pants) is recommended. IBCA will have the usual patches of poison ivy, and mosquitoes. Ticks, especially the small deer ticks, may also be a problem. Insect repellent will be available.

You need to register for the foray when you register for the annual meeting. The cost of the foray is $30 per participant and includes transportation, boxed lunch, additional beverages in both the morning and afternoon collecting sessions, and a post-foray lab at the University of Vermont. The buses will leave from the parking lot near the dorms where members are staying (exact site to be determined). We will leave at 9:00 AM and return around 5:00 PM. (The complete itinerary of the 2000 MSA Foray is below). The number of participants is limited to 135. If you have any questions, please contact Don Ruch, Foray Coordinator Phone 654.285.8829 Email (druch@gw.bsu.edu).

Mycologists Convene to Honor Walter Gams: Whither Mycology in the 21st Century?

Prepared by Linda Kohn and Keith Seifert (with photos by Seifert)

On May 10, mycologists from around the world began to convene at the cozy Baarn hotel and tavern "Onder de Linden" over beer and Dutch snacks in expectation of two days of scientific presentations. The occasion was a special symposium to commemorate the retirement last August of Walter Gams (MSA Honorary Member) and honour his contributions to mycology. The symposium, held in the Trippenhuis of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences in Amsterdam, was entitled "Mycology in the 21st Century; Morphology, DNA and the phylogeny and taxonomy of fungi." The symposium was sponsored by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Science and Letters, Merck & Co (Rahway, NJ), the Mycological Society of America, and the Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures (CBS). The meeting was organized by Rob Samson and his staff, Karin van der Tweel, Ellen Hoekstra, Jos Houbraken, and Roul Emmens, and opened by the Director, Dr Dirk van der Mei.

The presentations took off in some unexpected and provocative directions. David Malloch invoked "the ghost’s apprentice" in musing on where the mycological expertise will come from in the near future though there was much talk about expert or "smart" systems for identifying fungi from Lene Lange, and co-worker, I Groth Clausen ("The Fungal Web" watch for it online, a collaboration among an international team of mycologists including Lene and John Taylor), the LIAS information system (D Triebel) as well as some wishful thinking about Star Trek Voyager diagnostic gear (not surprisingly, from Amy Rossman on the front lines). Keith Seifert, always introspective, considered current trends in fungal systematics in the light of John Horgen's book "The End of Science" asking whether we are following the herd into "ironic science." Nigel Hywel-Jones lightened the mood in many ways, pointing out that he (in Thailand) and Kevin Hyde (Hong Kong) are actually training a corps of enthusiastic and talented fungal taxonomists. Certainly, many MSA members are active in biodiversity initiatives with strong underpinnings in systematics. So maybe the action has just shifted geographically and into the biodiversity context.

There were also technically challenging presentations - challenging in either the sense that they were based on deep synthesis of information about many fungi and the mastery of a taxonomic group or type of association (F Oberwinkler, U Braun, M Blackwell, G Samuels, P Crous, K O'Donnell, P Cannon, R Summerbell), or challenging because they required new statistically based ways of handling DNA sequence data to discover associations with character evolution or phylogeography and/or plenty of multi-locus sequence data (O Eriksson, D Hibbett, D Geiser, K O'Donnell, LM Kohn). In either case, challenging talks were in keeping with the celebration of Walter Gam's work, which has been characterized by mastery, precision, and critical thinking. Certainly, many contributors cited with gratitude the exacting standards of Walter's editing and its tonic effect on the finished manuscript.

A surprising aspect of the meeting was the size – over one hundred participants! It was an open meeting, with posters and several contributed talks. I (LMK) was thrilled to see my Norwegian collaborators and friends Trond Schumacher and Arne Host-Jensen, as well as a huge turnout from Copenhagen, and colleagues such as Joelle Dupont and Bart Buyck from Paris. It was great to see Richard Summerbell in his new habitat at CBS - and to explore Amsterdam in his company. The ability to mingle and catch up with old friends was enhanced by a reception sponsored by the MSA, and a Symposium dinner at a glorious, old-fashioned "brown" Amersterdam Restaurant, Haesje Claes (imagine mellow wood paneling, long tables, polished brass – bringing to mind old master paintings at the Rijksmuseum). It was at this final event that we heard from David Hawksworth on the legacy of hyphomycete taxonomy at CBS and finally from Walter himself.

This is likely to be the last international meeting hosted by CBS from their historical home in Baarn. This autumn, the lab will move to the nearby city of Utrecht into a newly renovated building that will allow more interaction with university scientists and students. For some of the delegates there was a certain sadness about saying goodbye to the tranquil greenery of Baarn for the last time.

Walter's epilogue address to the delegates is on the CBS website at (http://www.cbs.knaw.nl/About/CBSsym.htm).

One hundred twenty-five delegates from 25 countries, including 13 from North America, converged on Liverpool for the British Mycological Society's Millennium Meeting on Tropical Mycology. The scientific programme, held in the Liverpool John Moores University, and which included 38 lectures in total, was supported by five workshops, videos of BMS expeditions to Ecuador and Thailand, and a radio-telephone link-up with Albert Eicxker in Pretoria, South Africa. The proximity of the lecture venue to the Liverpool Museum allowed the Society to organize a "Meet the Mycologist" session in the museum’s Natural History Centre, where children and their parents were able to ask questions and view various fungi under the microscope in the presence of a rotrum of experts. It is estimated that during the eight one-hour sessions, more than 1,500 people passed through the Nature Centre over the four days of the meeting. An evening of the scientific programme was dedicated to the submitted posters (kept on display at all times during the meeting). Sayanh Somrithipol from Thailand won the student prize for best poster, with the Hong Kong expedition to Khao Yai commended. The President presented an illuminating public lecture at the Maritime Museum after closure of the formal programme on Saturday afternoon. The Society now looks forward to the production of the two volumes on tropical mycology. Loosely based on the proceedings, these volumes will contain contributions from many who for one reason or another could not be with us in Liverpool. The Society is exceedingly grateful to its sponsors: Cocoa Research (UK) Ltd., Darwin Initiative for the survival of species, Merck, Mycological Society of America, The Richmond Publishing Co. Ltd., and the Royal Bank of Scotland. (Roy Watling)

Many mycologists from all over the world attended the BMS Tropical Mycology Symposium celebrated at the John Moores University, Liverpool in April 2000. It was a wonderful experience for a first timer to attend and to meet some of the well-known British mycologists such as Hawksworth, Watling, and Whalley. The Benefactor’s Lecture, presented by Dr Jack Rogers, was entitled "Thoughts and Musings on Tropical Xylariaceae." It was an informative and entertaining talk. The MSA helped sponsor the Tropical Mycology Symposium, organized by Roy Watling. Invited speakers in that symposium who were in part sponsored by MSA included Gerald Bills, Roy Halling and D Jean Lodge. Most of us stayed at the dormitories of the Liverpool University, right at the famous Penny Lane. Many of us, who were able to stroll downtown in the city of the Beatles, must have walked over the famous Mathew Street, location of The Cavern, where the Beatles used to play. Watch for more photos in the next issue! (Sharon Cantrell)

On April 8^th, 2000, the Puerto Rican Mycological Society celebrated its Second Symposium of Mycology and Annual Meeting at the University of Puerto Rico in Mayagüez. A total of 24 people attended to hear nine presentations. Dr D Jean Lodge delivered the keynote lecture, entitled "Basidiomycetes of the Greater Antilles Project." At the business meeting a new Directive was selected: Dr Conrado Calzada (President), Dr Julia Mignucci (President-Elect), Dr Maria Vargas (Secretary) and Prof Arlyn Perez (Treasurer). Also, it was decided to hold the Third Symposium and Annual Meeting at the Catholic University in Ponce, P.R. in April, 2001. The society gave recognition to Dr Carlos Betancourt in appreciation of his long career devoted to mycology and for his excellence in teaching and mentoring so many Puerto Rican students and mycologists. After Prof Chad Lozada gave an excellent synopsis of Dr Bentancourt’s career, past-president Dr Sharon Cantrell presented the award. Those who know Dr. Betancourt ("Beta," as we call him) understand how much he deserves this recognition. (Particularly as Carlos is not only an excellent professor, he is also a good artist!)

The genus Penicillium is well-known as an economically important but taxonomically difficult group of anamorphic molds. Two Australian experts, Dr John Pitt and Dr Ailsa Hocking of CSIRO in Sydney, recently convened a workshop to teach methods for identification of these cosmopolitan fungi. The workshop (dubbed "Pitt on Penicillium") was held at the Louisiana State University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, on April 11-15, 2000. Dr Jim Harris, Texas Department of Health (Austin, TX), organized the workshop through the National (USA) Laboratory Training Network. In addition to the hours spent looking through microscopes and listening to lectures, participants found time for some mycological socializing. On the evening of Wednesday, April 12, 2000, a reception was co-hosted by Maren Klich (MSA Secretary) and Joan W Bennett (future Editor-in-Chief of Mycologia) at Joan’s home, located less than two miles from the LSU medical school. The evening began with a sampling of standard Saccharomyces fermentation products, served with crackers and both Roquefort (P. roqueforti) and Camembert (P. camemberti) cheeses. After appropriate conviviality, a dinner of salad, assorted meats, and stuffed mushrooms (Agaricus brunnescens [bisporus]) was served. The table was set with a centerpiece consisted of an elegant wooden mushroom holder to which were affixed stuffed olives skewered on wooden toothpicks (Fig. 1) The centerpiece was flanked by two ceramic boletes of dubious taxonomic placement. Dessert consisted of a vanilla cream birthday cake in honor of Drs. Hocking and Klich, both of whom were celebrating April birthdays. A good time was had by one and all, and there was much toasting to Penicillium, its metabolites, and the distinguished scientists who study this ubiquitous mold.

Other MSA members attending the reception included Sean Abbott (Environmental Biology Laboratory); Jason Dobranic (Texas Tech); Bonny Dodson (Allergen Rescue); Payam Fallah (P&K Microbiology); Janet Gallup (Environmental Microbiology Lab); Constance Jenkins (Environmental Testing Lab); Seven Koike (Univ. of California Cooperative Extension); Michael Mc Ginnis (Univ. of Texas Galveston); Jon Polishook (Merck); Larry Robertson (Mycotech Biological), Cory Tawes (Air Quality Sciences). Several other workshop participants whose names were not recorded also were in attendance. Several local New Orleans mycologists also joined the group including Prof. Kent Buchanan, Mrs. Mary Langois, Dr. Edward Mullaney, and Prof. and Mrs. Arthur Welden, all of Tulane University. (Joan Bennett)

While on vacation in Texas at the end of December in 1999, Markus Scholler, now Curator of Purdue University’s Arthur Herbarium, dropped in on Dr George Baker Cummins in Tucson, Arizona. Markus writes, "This grand old man of American mycology is 95 and in very good condition. When showing me the Sonoran Desert, he several times passed other cars and drove much faster than the speed limit." Former MSA president Cummins (shown at right, with Markus) has recently donated all his rust literature to the Arthur Herbarium, which he served as its second curator.

Looking for chiggers on a sultry Texan mycological foray into The Big Thicket - participants (below) at the recent NAMA (North American Mycological Association) meeting near Beaumont, TX, beat the bushes for mushrooms, copperheads, fire ants, banana spiders, polypores, and water moccasins. A few were found but many more were bitten by the fungal bug. Also lost, the ark of the common names - holding either a precious holy grail or a large ship with fungi boarding two by two, Latin and English – unholy marriages by some accounts. NAMA trustees voted to partner with MSA to create a joint commission to establish a recommended list of vernacular names.

Also fresh from the annual NAMA meeting, Ken Cochran wrote, "Liaison between MSA and NAMA continues to improve and the recent NAMA foray [in Beaumont, Texas, June 8-11] is a good example; e.g., Scott Redhead's proposal re common names at the Trustees' meeting; the histories of mycologists presented by Meredith Blackwell and Jim Kimbrough; the lectures and taxonomic exercises by many of the "usual suspects." In support of the MSA/NAMA mutualistic symbiosis, we would greatly appreciate renewal of the listing of the NAMA Mushroom Poisoning Case Registry in Inoculum's Mycology Online Directory."

Host mycologists Bill Cibula and Clark Ovrebo were joined by MSA member guest mycologists Alan Bessette, Pat Leacock, David Lewis (also foray organizer), Andy Methven, Greg Mueller, Walt Sundberg, Rod Tulloss, Tom Volk, and Mei-Li Woo.
 

Greg Thorn has accepted a position as Assistant Professor of Plant and Microbial Ecology at the University of Western Ontario. After August 1 (2000), his address will be Dr R Greg Thorn, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5B7, Canada (rgthorn@julian.uwo.ca). [Phone number not yet arranged.]

Michael J. Larsen, age 62, died unexpectedly on June 9, 2000, of a heart attack. A mycologist/pathologist with the US Forest Service in Moscow, Idaho, he was a specialist in the wood-rot fungi (esp. Thelephoraceae and Polyporaceae), who had gained international fame with his systematic studies on Tomentella and more recently on Phellinus. A written memorial is being planned for Mycologia. (Jim Ginns)

Greg Thorn, who attended the May 18-21 NSF Biotic Surveys and Inventories Panel workshop, shares the following encouraging news. "The workshop on Orcas Island, organized by Jody Martin and Todd Zimmerman (Natural History Museum of Los Angeles/UCLA), was attended by approximately 70 BS&I grantees, including mycologists Tim Baroni, Cathy Cripps, Dennis Desjardin, Roy Halling, Joe & Phil Hennen, Harold Keller, Gary Laursen, Carol Shearer, Greg Thorn, Al Torzilli, and Alex Weir, plus BS&I director Dr Douglas Siegel-Causey and DEB director Dr Terry Yates. It was a great representation by mycologists within the systematics/biodiversity community, and the really good news is that there is optimism within NSF for substantial new funding for systematics in the coming years."

This spring, under the guidance of Dr Bruce McCune of Oregon State University, lichenologists from Pacific Northwest North America established a new organization, Northwest Lichenologists (NWL). NWL is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to (1) promoting and encouraging professional development, growth, and renewal, (2) enhancing the visibility of the profession, (3) maintaining and promoting high standards of performance by all members of the profession. These goals are to be promoted through training and certification programs. The first certification program was conducted in June.

What is the certification for? Certification would demonstrate competency in a particular group of species in a particular region. This includes field and laboratory identification and recognition of rare or listed species. The initial certification program will be for macrolichens in the Pacific Northwest. Why is there a certification program? In addition to promoting and publicizing the goals described above, a certification program would exemplify a code of ethics.

The initial certification program focused on macrolichens in the "oceanic Pacific Northwest" (west of the Cascade Crest in Oregon, Washington, northern California, and British Columbia). The first round of certification was held June 3-4, 2000, at the HJ Andrews Experimental Forest, Blue River, Oregon. Thereafter, certification exams are to be offered at least once per year, with future locations set annually by the board of directors. NWL will contract the services of qualified instructors to administer the examinations. Read more about NWL and the certification program at: (Jim Ginns)

NAMA also continues to offer a poisonous mushroom warning poster for noncommercial uses. The poster may be viewed and ordered at (www.namyco.org/poison/poster.htm) or the Mushroom Poisoning Case Registry website (www.sph.umich.edu/~kwcee/mpcr/poster.htm), which also provides for the reporting of poisoning cases to the Registry. The Registry welcomes reports of all symptomatic cases and successfully treated exposures to usually toxic mushrooms. (Ken Cochran)

The Great Smoky Mountain National Park collecting pace has picked up as participating mycologists head toward Tennessee and North Carolina to continue their explorations as part of the All-Taxa Biodiversity Inventory launched in 1999. Markus Scholler officially kicked off the 2000 mycological field season during his ten-day rust/smut collecting excursion in the Park. He reports, "It was really great, and I was pretty successful, with 100 collections and about 60 species!" Markus would like to point out to those who view rusts and smuts as "mere" plant parasitic microfungi (a group inexplicably barred from funding by a special grant offer made in February) that he is not alone in regarding many of the pathogens (including the basidiomycete Gymnosporangium) as macrofungi.

Members of the Asheville Volunteer Fungal Department (AVFD) are also conducting several surveys in new areas of the Park a distance from last year’s Cataloochee pilot study transect.

Many who have neither the time nor the wherewithal to collect in the Park in 2000 are donating their services as expert identifiers. Taxonomic experts are gradually making inroads in identifying both their own collections and those collected last year by visiting scientists and the AVFD "parataxonomists." Over 1/4 of the 1999 fungal collections have been identified so far. George Carroll, Larry Grand, Dick Hanlin, Roz Lowen, Lorelei Norvell, Jack Rogers, Carolyn Shearer, Joey Spatafora, and Rod Tulloss have sent in confirmations and revisions of earlier provisional identifications. While most are quite common (e.g. Aspergillus clavatus, Cantharellus cinnabarinus, Daldinia concentrica, Trametes versicolor, Tylopilus albobrunneus, Xylaria polymorpha), there are a number of less well-known fungi among the collections (e.g. Amanita guessowii, Anthracobia inaurilabra, Cordyceps sphecocephala, Gibellula pulchra, Helicoma perelegans, Phyllachora graminis, Podostroma alutacea, Rasutoria tsugae, Skeletocutis nivea, Xylaria cubensis, Xylaria magnoliae). Possible new species of Cordyceps, Phaeocollybia, and other genera are being evaluated even as additional collections continue to be dispatched for expert identification. We are also pleased to welcome Cortinarius expert Michelle Seidl (University of Washington) to the Fungal TWIG (Taxonomic Working Group).

ANNOUNCMENT: A GSMNP-ATBI Fungal TWIG organizational meeting will be held at the Vermont MSA Annual Meeting, tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, 11:30 am, August 2. (Check the meeting Bulletin board for location.) Please contact me (lorelei@teleport.com) if you have questions or topics that you would like to have discussed. (Lorelei Norvell)

An online symposium in Instructional Technology will be held from May 15-June 30, 2001. It has been organized by the Teaching Committee of the International Society of Plant Pathology. It includes an opportunity to "present papers" on various instructional technologies with online discussions between the authors and other instructors. It also includes several discussion sessions on topics related to instructional technology. The symposium allows time for instructors to try various demonstrations and then participate in discussions about how best to use them. Papers and discussions will be posted at different times throughout the symposium. Even after the active presentations are complete, all materials will be archived and available. This symposium is particularly exciting because it can literally involve instructors in plant pathology (and related disciplines) from around the world.

Participants interested in submitting papers are encouraged to do so at their earliest convenience. This will allow enough time to organize the presentations and to make sure that hyperlinks, demonstrations, etc. are working properly in time for the symposium. Note that the actual papers are restricted in length and are essentially a summary of what is to be presented. Longer discussions and demonstrations can be linked to these papers.

Dr Terry Stewart of Massey University is the webmaster for this event and is generously contributing his time and effort. The organizing committee members are Drs Cleora D'Arcy, Darin Eastburn, David Guest, Thorsten Kraska, and James Partridge and me. We look forward to your ideas and suggestions. Please see the website for further information: http://www.ispp-itsymposium.org.nz/ – Gail L Schumann Chair, ISPP Teaching Committee, University of Massachusetts, Amherst MA. Phone 413.545.3413; Email (schumann@pltpath.umass.edu).

MSJ-IS7 Fungus-Plant Interactions ~ November 30-December 1 in Tsukuba

The 7th International Symposium of the Mycological Society of Japan (MSJ-IS7) on "Fungus-Plant Interactions, From Parasitism to Symbiosis" is scheduled for November 30 - December 1, 2000, in Tsukuba, Japan. MSJ-IS7 has been organized by the Mycological Society of Japan (MSJ) in cooperation with the Japanese Society of Mushroom Science and Biotechnology, and the Japanese Mycorrhizal Research Society. The keynote address on Thursday, November 30, will be followed by Session 1: "Molecular and Biochemical Aspects of Plant-Mycorrhizal or Pathogenic Fungus Interaction." (Poster sessions will cover all the fields of mycology.). On Friday, December 1, Session 2 will address "Ecology and Application of Mycorrhizal and Phytopathogenic Fungi." and Session 3 will cover "Cytological and Ultrastructural Aspects of Pathogenic and Symbiotic Fungal/Plant Interactions." For more information, please Email Dr Hiroaki Okabe (okabe@ffpri.affrc.go.jp).

Biocontrol-2000 ~ November 30-December 3 in Seville

The 6^th Workshop of the IOBC/WPRS Phytopathogens Working Group will take place from November 30-December 3, 2000 in Seville, Spain. Seville, in SW Spain, is in the heart of the Andalusian region. Seville’s famed architecture bears a decided Moorish stamp from the 800-year Moorish occupation, but long before the Moors the fertility of the land and its favorable climate enticed the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, and Romans to settle in the region. In Seville, the visitor is in the very heart of Andalusian culture, the center of bullfighting, and Flamenco music. The city will serve as a spectacular background for the workshop. In December the weather is pleasant, with temperatures ranging between 10-18°C; nights will be cool, and little rain is anticipated.

Previous meetings have been devoted to biocontrol of soil-borne diseases (Copenhagen, 1991), foliar and post-harvest diseases (Wageningen, 1992), sclerotium-forming pathogens (Wellesbourne, 1993), root diseases in soilless cultures (Dijon, 1995), diseases and the role of molecular methods (Zurich, 1996), and plant diseases (Edinburgh, 1998).

The topic for this year’s workshop is "Biocontrol Agents, Modes of Action, and Their Interaction with Other Means of Control." The general goal of the workshop is to bring together students, researchers, and those who implement biocontrol agents, to discuss potential improvements of biocontrol activity. Specific aims are two-fold: (i) to present research and discuss potential modes of action of biocontrol agents and preparations that are effective against fungal and bacterial diseases, and (ii) to study their interaction with other plant disease control methods. The workshop will be held in the El Monte conference hall, a modern, well-equipped facility with slide, overhead and Power Point (beamer) projectors. Both oral and poster presentations are scheduled.

Fees: (Every effort has been made to keep down costs, quoted here in Euros.) Early Registration (before 29.IX.2000) – 230-260 regular, 180-210 student; Late Registration (after 9/29/00) – 276-312 regular, 216-252 student; Proceedings – 70. Abstract deadline: September 5; early registration September 29. Additional information is available via the following websites: (www.trichoderma.org), Working Group – (http://www.agri.gov.il/Depts/IOBCPP/IOBCPP.html), IOBC – (http://iobc.ethz.ch). Inquiries regarding the scientific program should be directed to Prof Enrique Monte; Email (monte208@www-micro.usal.es), FAX 34.923.22.4876 or Dr. Yigal Elad; Email (elady@netvision.net.il). Inquiries concerning accommodations and local arrangements should be sent to Conchi Perez, Dpto. de Congresos, Viajes El Monte, Santo Domingo de la Calzada, 5-1.41018 Sevilla, Spain; Email (congresos.itc@caymasa.es); Phone +34.95.498.1089; Fax +34.95.457.78.63.

In this issue we review The genus Lactarius: Fungi of Northern Europe Vol. 2 by J Heilmann-Clausen, A Verbeken, and J Vesterholt, The Hypocrea schweinitzii complex and Trichoderma sect. Longibrachiatum by Samuels, Petrini, Kuhls, Lieckfeldt, and Kubicek, and Paul Heinemann Memorial Symposium: Systematics and Ecology of the Macromycetes, feature books received from April through June 2000, and list previously featured books received since November 1999. Reviews are needed for several excellent books. If you have the time over the next month, check the list, send me an Email at YZJOZ@TTACS.TTU.EDU and I will try to accommodate your request. John Zak, BOOK REVIEW EDITOR

This publication is a significant contribution to the understanding of Lactarius diversity, systematics, and ecology for the world's northern temperate and boreal regions. The Danish and Belgian authors provide a very clear treatment of 97 species for this second volume in the Fungi of Northern Europe series by the Danish Mycological Society, volume one being "The Genus Hygrocybe" by David Boertmann, 1995. See their web site www.mycosoc.dk for a short description, sample pages (for L. badiosanguineus), and four color plates, including the new species L. rostratus. Planned future volumes include Agaricus, Hebeloma, and Tricholoma.

This book will please both amateur and professional mushroom identifiers. Following the introduction and methods are twelve valuable pages of discussion on macro- and microscopic characters for the genus. Especially good are the color plates of latex colors or reactions and the explanation with line drawings for cystidia and pileipellis structures. The authors then present a revised infrageneric classification of the Northern European species and differences noted from the systems of Hesler and Smith (Hesler, L. R., and A. H. Smith. 1979. North American species of Lactarius. The University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor) and Bon (Bon, M. 1983. Notes sur la systematique du genre Lactarius. Doc. Mycol. 13: 15-26.). Six subgenera are outlined with sections and subsections: subgenus Piperites with a broader concept (64 spp.); Russularia more narrowly defined (20 spp.); Plinthogalus (8 spp.); Lactifluus (L. volemus); Lactarius (L. piperatus, L. glaucescens); and Lactariopsis (L. vellereus, L. bertillonii). A discussion of the ecology of the ectomycorrhizal genus precedes notes on their edibility. The eleven page key to the 97 species is clear and well structured. About a third of the species treated also occur in North America including one or more species described or clarified since Hesler and Smith's monograph.

The core of the book is the presentation of each species on a pair of facing pages with text, color plate of fruitbodies in nature, and line drawings of spores, cystidia, and pileipellis. Ten of the species warranted four pages with additional illustrations and text. The photographic plates have excellent resolution and color balance. Basionym, type information, and synonyms for each taxon are followed by a summary sentence as an identification aid, then sections on description, microscopic characters, ecology and distribution, and discussion of similar species and taxonomy. The back of the book contains data on the specimens used for the descriptions and photos, a table on geographic distribution of taxa from Iceland to Russia, literature cited (8p.), and the index including synonyms. This book's impact on Lactarius systematics includes the new taxon L. rostratus Heilmann-Clausen, the new combination L. azonites f. virgineus (JE Lange) Verbeken, the synonymy of L. hemicyaneus Romagn. under L. quieticolor Romagn., and the designation of type specimens (as lectotypes or epitypes) for four taxa.

The work is also valuable for providing color illustrations of many of the taxa in the difficult L. scrobiculatus and L. resimus groups as clarified by the work of Kytövuori (Kytövuori, I. 1984. Lactarius subsectio Scrobiculati in NW Europe. Karstenia 24: 41 72.) that described many new segregate species. With the Lactarii of Europe further defined, a fresh examination of species complexes in North America and elsewhere can be made. The well crafted book provides a valuable addition for those interested in Lactarius throughout the Northern Hemisphere, particularly at northern latitudes where species show circumboreal distributions.
 
 
 

The Hypocrea schweinitzii complex and Trichoderma sect. Longibrachiatum. 1998. G J Samuels, O Petrini, K Kuhls, E Lieckfeldt and C P Kubicek. Studies in Mycology 41, Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures, Baarn/Delft, The Netherlands, 54 p. Price:HFL.50+ Erratum insert, 4 p.

This is an exciting addition to the knowledge-base used by individuals who work with species of Hypocrea and its anamorph Trichoderma for business and academia. This publication is a must for individuals who need to identify species of Trichoderma, and a welcome addition to the literature for those who have struggled with identification of anamorphs. However, the struggle for identification of Trichoderma will continue, since this publication does not treat all known species. The publication is significant in its contributions to our understanding of this group of fungi because it unravels the taxonomy of an important complex of organisms, as well as speaking to the authors' impression of the molecular basis for speciation within the complex. Perhaps the most significant statement in the treatment is summed up on p. 2 in the Introduction: "We consider the apparently strictly asexual Trichoderma species that belong to this group to be species of Hypocrea."

This is a significant statement in mycology, because it shows a group of highly trained and experienced taxonomists who agree that the biology of the organisms they study is paramount over artificial definitions and I soundly applaud them for sticking to biological rather than man-made criteria. The authors' treatment of organisms follows this philosophy, with the taxonomic portion of the publication alphabetized by specific epithet, regardless if the fungus is holomorphic or known only as an anamorph. Six holomorphs are included: Hypocrea andinensis; H. jecorina, H. orientalis; H. novaezelandiae; H. orientalis and H. pseudokoningii. The four anamorphs with no known teleomorphs in the treatment are: Trichoderma ghanense; T. konilangbra, T. longibrachiatum and T. saturnisporum. Species concepts are based on microscopic, cultural and genetic characters.

The quality of the descriptions, drawings and photomicrographs is excellent, and the keys to species very good. Our laboratory receives quite a few requests for Trichoderma identifications, and after a year of using this publication, I have found it invaluable for identification of species in this complex. Each description comes with complete nomenclatural and taxonomic history, excellent descriptions, notes and a page or two of stunning photomicrographs, and additional drawings. The publication is well bound, with heavy paper covers, and printed on glossy paper, guaranteeing longevity in the library as well as the laboratory.

The drawbacks to this publication are two-fold. First and most unfortunately, several tables were omitted from the original press run, and an Erratum was subsequently sent to those who had purchased the document. For individual subscribers, keeping track of the Erratum may not be a large issue, but in libraries this can be a serious problem, depending on whether the library has funding to have the document re-bound, or instead just tapes the Erratum into the inner-cover. In the latter case, the Erratum is likely to be lost over the years. Secondly, the organization of material within the treatment is erratic. The "Materials and Methods" section begins with a discussion of species morphology and then goes on to describe media preparation, growth parameters and microscopic mount preparations: the discussion on how to separate some species would have been better placed in the "Taxonomy" section. There are parts of the document not contained in "Materials and Methods" which present important methodology. For instance, some materials and methodology for isozyme and macromolecular analyses are presented under "Development of a species concept," and other methodologies are presented under "Taxonomy" as "Characters used in Identification." The actual methods and materials used for isozyme and macromolecular analyses are not given, but rather references to other papers is cited, which I consider an incomplete rendition of how analyses were performed for this study. This scattering of methodologies in the document is likely the result of having a multi-authored paper, and doesn't seriously detract from the publication, but I bring this to the readers' attention only to ask future authors to pay closer attention to "Materials and Methods." The molecular data discussions are highly condensed, and leave the reader wanting to see more of the background data that went into the Correspondence Analyses, if nothing else than to help make interpretation of the data easier for the reader.

Apart from the minor criticisms I present, and with which all may not agree, I heartily recommend this publication to anyone working in the field of Hypocrea-Trichoderma taxonomy, and I also would recommend this to monographers as an example of where the future of fungal systematics is headed.
 
 
 

Paul Heinemann Memorial Symposium: Systematics and Ecology of the Macromycetes. 1998. A. Fraiture (special ed.). Belgian Journal of Botany (Special issue) 131: 65-288. The journal issue can be ordered from: Dr. P. Compère, Jardin Botanique National, Domanine de Bouchout, B-1860 Meise, Belgium. Price: 1800 BeF, including shipping).

This volume reflects well the interests and contributions of its honoree, Paul Heinemann (1916 - 1996). Dr. Heinemann published over 200 papers and proposed 435 new taxa and combinations during his 60-year mycological career. The memorial proceedings include papers on floristics, systematics and ecology, principally of African and European agarics and polypores. In it are proposed three new genera, seven new species and eight new combinations. Heinemann's major interest was in the Agaricaceae, this is mirrored by the volumes content which leans heavily toward that family. The proceedings will be of most interest to European agaricologists, particularly those curious about Lepiota, Russula, or Lactarius, the most substantive papers being on the systematics of those genera. Also of note are contributions on the biogeography of African polypores, and conservation mycology.

I found DeKesel1s paper (pp. 244 - 250) on determining threat categories for macromycetes to be especially interesting. The author adapts International Union for the Conservation of Nature (ICUN) standards to fungi. The approach involves quantifying areas of potential and occupied habitat and assessing trends by comparing older with more recent data. A species can be in a high threat category if its potential habitat occupies a small portion of the area of concern, if the species is found only in a small portion of the potential habitat that has been examined, or if there is a significant decline in the area presently occupied compared to its historic range. The recommendations for quantitative standards are a welcome addition to the growing literature on fungal rarity, and, although they will doubtless be refined with time, they serve as an excellent basis for discussion.

The proceedings are soft bound on heavy, glossy paper with a sewn binding, and seem reasonably sturdy. Given the impressive title I anticipated more substantial reviews and syntheses, it also seems misleading that a volume with about two-thirds of its pages in French have an English title. Although it contains more articles of interest to mycologists than your average issue of a botany journal, I expect that rather than make a purchase, most people would prefer to find this eclectic, if useful, volume in the library.
 
 
 

books and publications received april through june 2000

• Advances in Verticillium: Research and Disease Management. 2000. EC Tjamos, RC Rowe, JB Heale, and DR Fravel (eds.), APS Press, 3340 Pilot Knob Road, St. Paul, MN 55121-2097 (aps@scisoc.org) 376 p. Price: $54 US. Requested from publisher.

• Ectomycorrhizal Fungi: Key Genera in Profile. 1999. JWG Cairney and SM Chambers (eds.), Springer Verlag Customer Services, PO Box 2485, Secaucus, NJ 07096. 370 p. Review in progress.

• Flora Agricina Neerlandica: Volume 4. Strophariaceae, Tricholomataceae. 2000. C Bas,THW Kuyper, NE Noordeloos, and EC Vellinga (eds.),AA Balkema Uitgevers B.V., Postbus 1867, NL-3000 BR Rotterdam, Nederlands, sales@balkema.nl, 191p. Price: Hfl .2.2. Review needed.

• Illustrated Dictionary of Mycology. 2000. M Ulloa and RT Hanlin, APS Press, 3340 Pilot Knob Road, St. Paul, MN 55121-2097, aps@scisoc.org ,448 p. Price: $99.00 US. Requested from publisher.

• Illustrated Genera of Trichomyces: Fungal Symbionts of Insects and Other Arthropods. 2000. JK Misra and RW Lichtwardt.Science Publishers, Inc., PO Box 699, Enfield, NH 03748, info@scipub.net, 155p. Review needed.

• Les Champigons Forestiers, Recolte, Commercialisation et Conservation de la Resource. (Conference proceedings, articles in French and English) 2000. JA Fortin and Y Piche (eds.), CRBF, Universite Laval, Quebec, Canada, G1K 7P4. 119p. Review needed.

• North American Boletes: A Color Guide to the Fleshy Pored Mushrooms. 2000. AE Bessette, WC Roody, and AR Bessette. Syracuse University Press, 621 Skytop Road, Suite 110, Syracuse, NY 13244-5290, twalsh01@syr.edu, 356p. Price: $95.00 US. Review needed.

previously listed books from november 1999

• Armillaria Root Rot: Biology and Control of Honey Fungus. 2000. RT Fox (ed). Intercept Limited, P.O. Box 716, Andover Hants, SP10 1YG, UK, intercept@andover.co.uk, or Lavoisier Publishing Inc., c/o Springer verlag Customer Service, P.O. Box 2485, Secaucus, NJ 07096, orders@springer-ny.com, 240p. Price: GBP 47.50 and USD 88.00. Book requested from the Publisher.

• Colored Illustrations of the Ganodermataceae and Other Fungi. 1997. Edited by W Xingliang and Z Mu (eds). 350 p. Price: $67US (surface). Orders: Mail — Huayu Center for Environmental Information Services, PO Box 4088, Beijing 100001, PR China. FAX +86-10-68575909 Email hceis@public3.bta.net.cn (preferred) or hceis@mx.cei.gov.cn (secondary). Pay with check, bank transfer or international post money on receipt of book. Book requested from publisher.

• Colored Illustrations of Macrofungi (Mushrooms) of China. (Chinese Edition with Latin Names) 1998. H Nian Lai (ed). 336 p. Price: $110US (surface), $130US (air). Orders: Mail — Huayu Center for Environmental Information Services, PO Box 4088, Beijing 100001, PR China. FAX +86-10-68575909 Email hceis@public3.bta.net.cn (preferred) or hceis@mx.cei.gov.cn (secondary). Pay with check, bank transfer or international post money on receipt of book. Book requested from publisher.

• Current Advances in Mycorrhizae Research. 2000. GK Podilla and DD Douds, Jr (eds). APS Press, 3340 Pilot Knob Road, St Paul MN. Book requested from publisher.

• Forest Mushrooms of China (Chinese Edition with Latin Names) 1997. LP Shao and CT Xiang (eds). 652 p. Price: (US) $127US (surface), $145US (air). Orders: Mail — Huayu Center for Environmental Information Services, PO Box 4088, Beijing 100001, PR China. FAX +86-10-68575909 Email hceis@public3.bta.net.cn (preferred) or hceis@mx.cei.gov.cn (secondary). Pay with check, bank transfer or international post money on receipt of book. Book requested from publisher.

• From Ethnomycology to Fungal Biotechnology: Exploiting Fungi from Natural Resources for Novel Products. 1999. J Singh and KR Aneja (eds). Kluwer Academic/ Plenum Publishers, 233 Spring Street, New York NY. 292 p. Review needed.

• Gasteromycetes, I. Lycoperdales, Nidulariales, Phallales, Sclerodermatales, Tulostomatales. 1998. F D Calonge. Vol 3 Flora Mycologica Iberica, J Cramer. Distributor: E. Schweizertbart"sche Verlagsbuchhandlung (Nagele u. Obermiller), Johannesstr.3A, D-70176, Stuttgart, Germany, or Balogh Scientific Books, 1911 North Duncan Road, Champaign, IL 61821. 272 p. Price: DM 140. Book requested from Publisher.

• Genera of Bionnectriaceae, Hypocreaceae and Nectriaceae (Hypocreales, Ascomycetes) Studies in Mycologia No 42. 1999. AY Rossman, G|Jsumuels, CT Rogerson, and R Lowen. Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures, Baarn/Delft, The Netherlands. 248 p. Price: Hfl.95. Review in Iboculum vol 51(3) June 2000.

• Icones of Medicine Fungi From China. 1987, English Edition, Y Jianzhe (ed), 611 p. Price: $122US (surface), $148US (air). Orders: Mail — Huayu Center for Environmental Information Services, PO Box 4088, Beijing 100001, PR China. FAX +86-10-68575909 Email hceis@ public3.bta.net.cn (preferred) or hceis@mx.cei.gov.cn (secondary). Pay with check, bank transfer or international post money on receipt of book. Book requested from publisher.

• Laboulbeniales, I. Laboulbenia. 1998. S Santamaria. Vol. 4. Flora Mycologica Iberica, , J Cramer. Distributor: E. Schweizertbart"sche Verlagsbuchhandlung (Nagele u. Obermiller), Johannesstr.3A, D-70176, Stuttgart, Germany, orBalogh Scientific Books, 1911 North Duncan Road, Champaign, IL 61821. 187p. Price: DM 120. Book requested from Publisher.

• Microbial Endophytes. 2000. CW Bacon and JF White, Jr. (eds). Marcel Dekker, Inc, New York. 487 p. Review needed.

• A Monograph of the Genus Pezicula and its Anamorphs. 1999. GJ Verkley. Studies in Mycology 44. Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures, Baarn/Delft, The Netherlands. 180 p. Price: Hfl85. Review needed.

• Molecular Fungal Biology. 1999. RP Oliver and M Schweizer (eds). Cambridge University Press, The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge CB2 2RU, UK. 377 p. Review needed.

• Myxomycetes: A Handbook of Slime Molds, paperback edition, 2000. SS Stephenson and H Stempen. Timber press, Inc, 133 S.W. Second Avenue, Suite 450, Portland OR 97204, mail@timberpress.com, 183 p. Price: $19.95. Review needed.

• Septoria on Cereals: A Study of Pathosystems. 1999. JA Lucus, P Bowyer and MH Anderson (eds). CABI Publishing, 10 E 40th St, Suite 3203, New York NY, 353 p. cabi-noa@cabi.org. Price: $100US. Review needed.

OF RELATED INTEREST....

China Biodiversity: A Country Study, English Edition, 1998. Organized by State Environmental Protection Administration, 476. Price: (US)$78 sea mail, (US) $93 airmail. Mail Order to: Huayu Center for Environmental Information Services, P.O.Box 4088, Beijing 100001, P.R. China. Fax Order: +86-10-68575909 E-mail order: Please send order to the following two address respectively: hceis@public3.bta.net.cn or hceis@mx.cei.gov.cn. Payment: check, bank transfer or international post money on receipt of book. Book requested from publisher.

China's National Report on Implementation of The Convention on Biological Diversity , English Edition. 1998. Published by the National Environmental Protection Agency of China 140 p. Price: Price: (US) $39 sea mail, (US) $45 airmail. Order to: Huayu Center for Environmental Information Services, P.O.Box 4088, Beijing 100001, P.R. China. Fax Order: +86-10-68575909 E-mail order: Please send order to the following two address respectively: hceis@public3.bta.net.cn or hceis@mx.cei.gov.cn. Payment: check, bank transfer or international post money on receipt of book. Book requested from publisher.

Microbes and Man , 4^th Edition. 2000. J Postgate, Cambridge University Press, The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge CB2 2RU, UK. 373 p. Price: $19.95.

CORRECTION – The previous issue of Inoculum [51(3)] misprinted the url for this excellent database. One letter [the "t" in "systbot" < "Systematic botany"] was inadvertently omitted.

Those interested in reading about the goals of the newly formed organization, Northwest Lichenologists (NWL) or learning more about its certification programs, should visit the website listed above. For more information, see Mycological News in this issue.

mycology online directory

7th International Symposium on Microbiology (50-6)

NYBG Fungus Herbarium (51-2)

Postdoctoral Positions in Molecular Medical Mycology, Yeast Genetics and Yeast Pathogenesis ~ The Duke University Mycology Research Unit (DUMRU) has openings for Postdoctoral Fellows. DUMRU comprises laboratories at Duke University in the Departments of Biology, Genetics, Medicine, and Microbiology; laboratory directors include Gary M Cox, Fred Dietrich, Joseph Heitman, John H McCusker, Thomas G Mitchell, John R Perfect, and Rytas Vilgalys. Molecular genetic approaches are being used to investigate, among other areas, population genetics, signal transduction, antifungal drug targets, and high temperature growth in Candida albicans, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Cryptococcus neoformans. We seek talented scientists with research expertise in any of the following areas: genetics, population studies, evolution, molecular biology, biochemistry, pharmacology, animal models and/or microbial pathogenesis. Prior research experience with medical fungi is not essential. Salaries comply with NIH guidelines; relative to many other parts of the country, the Durham area has a modest cost of living. To apply, send a CV and list of references by regular mail or Email text to individual laboratory directors, as listed in the DUMRU website: <http://www.dumru.mc.duke.edu>. Please do not Email attachments. Alternatively, send CV and references to Janet Routten, Box 3867, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710 USA. Phone 919.684.2660; FAX 919.684.8902. Duke University is an AA/EOE.

Postdoctoral Associate in Nanobiotechnology ~ A position is available immediately in our laboratory to investigate fungal cell growth and development using nanofabrication technologies. The investigation will have a clear and purposeful integration of the two disciplines. Initial studies will be aimed toward understanding how filamentous fungal cell growth is directed, and how differentiation, e.g., appressoria, events are triggered. Development of skills and knowledge in nanotechnology will be an important aspect of this cross-trained position.

We are looking for someone with skills in cell biology. Knowledge of fungal cell biology would be desirable. The candidate must have a PhD in the biological sciences (biochemistry, botany, cell biology, mycology, plant pathology, etc.). Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience. The position is available for 1-3 years.

The Nanobiotechnology Center (NBTC), a National Science Foundation-funded Science and Technology Center, was established to pursue the almost limitless potential in applying nanofabrication to explore biology. Six research programs Bioselective Surfaces, Molecular Motors, Molecular Filtration, Sparse Cell Isolation, Molecular Templates, and Microanalysis of Biomolecules constitute the research effort. These projects are interdisciplinary and involve two or more faculty from the NBTC. For more information please see www.nbtc.cornell.edu.

Please send inquiries to Dr HC Hoch, Department of Plant Pathology, Cornell University, NYSAES, Geneva, NY 14456 Phone 315.787.2332 Email (hch1@nysaes.cornell.edu).

A post-doctoral position funded by the National Science Council of ROC (Taiwan) is available. The period of this position is from August 2000 to July 2002. This project will conduct systematic studies of Aphyllophorales (Basidiomycetes). Candidates should be familiar with molecular techniques and phylogenetic theory. The salary of the first year is about $23,000, and will increase in the coming year. NSC will pay airfare to and from Taiwan if the position is taken for more than 10 months. To apply, send CV and two letters of recommendation to Sheng-Hua Wu via Email in care of David S Hibbett (dhibbett@black.clarku.edu). (During May-August 2000, Sheng-Hua Wu, of the Department of Botany, National Museum of Natural Science, Taichung, Taiwan ROC, will be a visitor in Dr Hibbet’s lab in the Department of Biology, Clark University, 950 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01610-1477).