XVI.—The Heather Rhizomorph Fungus, Marasmius androsaceus Fries

Abstract

Increasing attention has been paid to dying-out of heather in Scotland over the last fifteen years. The question is of considerable economic importance, owing to the huge areas of grazing involved. Cameron (1937), Morison (1938) and Cameron, McHardy and Bennett (1944) have dealt with the entomological side of the problem. Braid and Tervet (1937) have stressed the necessity of a fuller study of fungi on heather and, particularly, of the heather rhizomorph fungus.The present work, begun in 1939, was undertaken to determine the identity, parasitism, distribution and characters of the heather rhizomorph fungus and of any other fungi capable of attacking heather in Scotland. The heather rhizomorph fungus proved to be the only one isolated from heather which acted as a parasite. Accordingly, the others were not investigated further.