Abstract
A description is provided for Cyttaria hariotii. 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 antarctica, N. betuloides, N. dombeyi, N. nitida, N. pumilio, Nothofagus sp. (Fagaceae) [old fallen ascomata have also been recorded on soil, being blackish]. GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina (Chubut, Neuquén, Río Negro, Tierra del Fuego); Chile (Aisén, La Araucanía, Los Lagos, Magallanes y Antártica Chilena, Bío-Bío, Maule). Highest recorded altitude: 1000 m. 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 [IMI Descriptions No. 1593] are doubtless also valid for this species.