GRIFFITHS: CONCERNING SOME West AMERICAN FUNGI 209 
Sorosporium ovarium sp. nov. 
Sori in ovaries which are but slightly enlarged, covered by a 
grayish-brown membrane of plant tissue which ruptures irregularly 
at the apex exposing the black dusty spore-mass; spore-balls 
rather firm, irregular, angular-compressed, 50 to 1004 in greatest 
diameter ; spores subglobose to angular-compressed, 8 to 12 in 
greatest diameter, with thin minutely echinulate epispore. 
On Panicum caespitosum Swartz, Dublan, Hidalgo, Mexico, 
September 9, 1905; also on the same host at Puebla, Mexico, 
August 29, 1906. The above are collections which have been 
made. The species has been observed on the same host in vari- 
ous localities upon the plateau of Mexico, especially in the vicinity 
of the Federal District. The species is closely related to S. Erio- 
chloae Griff., and, indeed, was collected for that species, so similar 
are the two in external appearance. It is distinguished from that 
species, however, by its smaller and minutely echinulate spores. 
Urocystis Sophiae sp. nov. 
Fructification of the fungus occurring most commonly upon 
the upper portion of the roots, about 2 cm, below the surface of the 
ground, but it may occur upon any portion of the root-system, 
forming wart-like tubercles of irregular shape, measuring from I 
mm. to I cm. in greatest diameter ; spore-balls irregular in size, 
from 30 to 45 # in diameter, firmly united, consisting of from one 
to four or more cells which are subglobose or angular-flattened 
by compression, about 15 # in diameter, and completely surrounded 
by mostly a single layer of hyaline or slightly tinted cells about 3 # 
in diameter ; all imbedded in a hyaline fungus-tissue apparently 
formed of anastomosing and agglutinated mycelial threads. 
On roots of Sophia andrenarum Cockerell, Tucson, Arizona, 
March 14, 1903. This was first collected in 1901 along the Santa 
Cruz River near Tucson, Arizona, but the later collection is made 
the type because the material is more abundant. This, I believe, 
is the first record of a root smut in this country. 
Urocystis AGRopyri (Preuss) Schrot. 
Quite common on Melica imperfecta Trin., at Banning, Cali- 
fornia, May, 1906. I have also collected it on Koe/eria sp., on 
the top of Mt. Lemmon, Arizona, in 1904, where it was so preva- 
lent as to render it difficult to secure enough of the host for 
identification. 
