TWENTY-THIBD ANNUAL MEETING. 159 



II. UsTiLAGO Reihana, Kuhii, in Rabenhorst, Fangi eurpoaei exsiccati, cent. XX 

 (Dresden, 1875) No. 1988. 



This species was found by Mr. J. T. Willard, early in September of this year 

 (1890), in a sorghum plant grown by the Chemical Department. The variety of 

 sorghum {S. vulgare) was known as Red Liberian, the seed of which was obtained 

 from the Sterling Syrup Works in 1888. It had been grown at Manhattan continu- 

 ously since that time, but no smutted heads had, in the meantime, been observed. 

 Only one stalk in the plat was found smutted this year. The uppermost panicle 

 was not smutted, but it produced no seed. The uppermost lateral heads ripened 

 their smut early in September. Other lateral branches were produced until killed 

 by frost. There were in all seven smutted heads produced; four of these, together 

 with the non-smutted panicle, are reproduced in the plate. It can be seen that each 

 of the smutted heads there shown is formed of several lobes, or parts, more or less 

 distinct from each other. In case of each of the last two lateral heads produced 

 (not shown in the plate) there was but one continuous mass of spores, inclosed by 

 a smooth, white membrane. This species has not hitherto been reported in the 

 United States, though it occurs in Egypt on Sorghum vulgare, and in Europe on 

 Sorghum vulgare and S. saceharatum (on the latter by artificial inoculation) and on 

 the male inflorescence (tassel) of maize. 



Mr. A. A. Denton reports it at Sterling, Kansas, as the following letter shows: 



Sterling, Kansas, November 16, 1890. 



Prof. W. A. Kellerman, Manhattan, Kansas— \)^a.r Sir: I have to-day hunted over the experimental 

 field for smutted cane-tops, without success. The canes veere all cut some time ago, and most have 

 been hauled away, but few remaining in shock upon the land. 



I had noticed the two kinds of smut during the season. The five smutted heads, as shown in the 

 larger photograph* which you sent, I had repeatedly noticed. It is not usual, except in one variety, 

 for a cane to have five seed-tops; and the fact that all the heads on one cane were smutted made the 

 case more noticeable. 



The other case, in which the grain only was attacked, I bad also noticed. In two or three lots many 

 of the seed-heads were thus affected; the berry or the kernel had an unnatural appearance — a whitish 

 color — though the interior of each grain was powdery smut. 



Both kinds were, so far as observed, found only in seeds of foreign growth. 



I believe that the black powdery seed-he.ids in which the entire seed-head is a mass of smut similar 

 to the smut found on corn, is occasionally found, or something similar, each year in cane. It was, 

 however, singular that when rank growth was prevented by drouth, five seed-heads on one cane and 



all of them smutted, should have been noticed only in foreign canes 



Respectfully, A. A. Denton. 



An account of both of the species here recorded is given by Prof. J. Kiihn, Die 

 Brandformen der Sorghum-Arten in Mittheilungen das Vereins fiir Erdkunde 

 1877, reviewed in Botanischer Jahresbericht V. Jahrg. (1877) S. 117, Prof. O. Brefeld 

 gives a description of the germination of the spores of Ustilago Reiliana in Die 

 Brandpilze, I., S. 94-5 Taf. XI, Figs. 3-7. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE. 

 Sorghum Smut, Ustilago Reiliana, Kiihn, on one stalk of Red Liberian Sorghum. Reproduced from 

 a photograph ; figures one-half natural size. 



A. Uppermost panicle of plant, not smutted. 



B. Second lateral panicle from above, smutted. 



C. Third panicle from above, smutted. 



D. Fourth panicle from above, smutted. 



E. Fifth panicle from above, smutted. 



* Reproduced in the accompanying plate. 



