68 



NINTH REPORT. 



THE LIFE HISTORY OF PUCCINIA MALVACEARUM. 



J. B. Dandexo. 



This fungus parasite arouses considerable interest from the fact that it 

 produces, so far as at present known, no aecidial s^pores, no uredo spores and 

 no spermatia. Until two years ago the writer was not able to find this rust 

 until about the middle of September, and considerably later than this in 

 some seasons. But when once it did appear, it seemed to spread with astonish- 

 ing rapidity, persisting until the snow fell, away on into November, as long 



as the host was al)le to withstand the frosts, and this is quite late with the 

 common. mallow, upon Avhich host the rust is very alnmdant. From the fact 

 that the rust appeared so suddenly, and so late in the season — especially so 

 in the common mallow — it was thought that some other stage of this rust 

 might possibly exist on other host plants. Investigation was started three 

 years ago to discover, if possible, how the fungus passed the winter, and also 

 if the sporidia could be made to inoculate other plants. Unsuccessful at- 

 tempts were made on several species of each of the following families : Com- 

 positae, Labiatae, and Papilionaceae. It was supposed that the fungus 



