Some zoosporic fungi of New Zealand

Summary In further studies of the zoosporic fungi of New Zealand nine additional species were isolated on various substrata from soil. These include Rhizophydium pythii de Wildemann, R. condylosum Karling, Rhizophlyctis oceanis Karling, R. ingoldii Sparrow, R. boneysi Sparrow, Rhizophlyctis sp., Rhizidium reniformis sp. nov., Chytriomyces rotoruaensis sp. nov., Sparrowia parasitica Willoughby, and Aphanomycopsis punctatus Karling. Rhizidium reniformis is characterized by predominantly reniform, appendiculate zoosporangia and small zoospores which emerge slowly in a columnar mass. This usually floats away from the zoosporangium and explands, and after a while the zoospores swarm collectively in a vesicle. Chytriomyces rotoruaensis resembles R. reniformis by the structure and appearance of its thallus and behavior of the zoospores after discharge, but differs by the presence of a thin inconspicuous operculum and the development of smooth hyaline resting spores with coarsely granular content. Rhizophlyctis ingoldii, Sparrowia parasitica, and R. boneysi, known previously only from England and Hawaii, respectively, occurred abundantly in New Zealand.This study has been supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation, Washington, D.C.