C. Ferdinandsen and Ö. Winge: The genus Entorrhiza C.Weber. 3 



plasm so dense and refractive that it is almost impossible to de- 

 cide, whether a single or two filaments take part in forming the 

 spiral. 



From our observations we are justified in concluding the 

 following: The spore originates from two spiral filaments fusing 

 together, which at least in many cases are twined around each 

 other, while in other cases it is probable that they fuse without 

 twining. The spiral threads themselves are coming from very 

 complex hyphal bundles and may often be branched (fig. 1, d — e). 

 Sometimes two spores are formed connected to each other, so 

 the double-spore strikingly is resembling a teleutospore of a 

 Puccinia (fig. 1, g). In other cases three spores are growing to- 

 gether forming a row or a Triphragmium-\\ke complex (fig. 1, h), 

 and also four spores are observed in connection. Rarely one of 

 the two spores forming a »Puccinia« has a smooth membrane, 

 while the other one is coarsely warted (fig. 1, /). In no case we 

 have happened to see a spore with only one adherent spiral string; 

 this circumstance naturally by no means excludes the possibility 

 of the spore being formed by a single filament, but at least it 

 is the rule that two spiral filaments directly take part in the 

 spore formation, a phenomenon, which reminds of the ascus for- 

 mation in the genus Eremascus. 



II. The systematic position of the genus Entorrhiza. 



The genus Entorrhiza has always been considered by the 

 authors as a relative to the Ustilagineae, until Brefeld (1912, 

 p. 80) brings forward the opinion that the fungus probably must 

 be regarded as a fungus imperfectus belonging to the Ascomycetes, 

 the ascus-form of which is still unknown. In the said paper 

 Brefeld has proved indisputably that an »Ustilago« on Panicum 

 cms ardeae Willd. 1 ) from South America really is a conidial stage 

 of a Claviceps-like Hypocreacea, viz. Ustilaginoidea Bref., the 

 existence of which he already several years ago had profezied. 

 Further he is probably justified in his conclusion that the mor- 

 phologically thoroughly like Ustilago virens Cke. (= Tilletia Oryzae 

 Pat.) on rice belongs to the same genus. Brefeld, however, is 

 going still farther in so far as he, as it appears less convincing, 

 also classifies the genera Entorrhiza Weber and Schroeteria Wint. 

 as fungi imperfecti among the Ascomycetes. He is led to this 



J ) By Brefeld »Panicum cms Urdeae«, probably erroneous for the said 

 species. 



1* 



