23-1 GRASSES OF IOWA. 



although sometimes the adjacent brac!s also. A large number 

 of kernels may be affected. On breaking the kercels open, 

 a powdery mass mixed with starch may be seen. The starch 

 grains are corroded, showing that in the action of the fungus 

 a ferment dissolves the starch. The spores are spiny and 

 measure from 4 to 6" in diameter. Very little is known of the 

 fungus. It was distributed by Von Thumen* and Rabeohorst f 

 It is described by Lover Jo, J Tabeuf§ and other mycologists. 

 It is not referred to by Farlow and Sey- 

 mour in their valuable ho;t index. So far 

 as known it does not occur in this state, 

 but Ihe writer has recc ived it from Jamaica. 



This fungus is probably a tropical or sub- 

 Fig. 115. Kernpl smut f^ f J f 



of maize (Ustiiago Fi^cheri) troplcal species, and may occur in southern 



On maize, spores to right, x i < ^ 



below, a sectional view of United States. It certainly occurs in the 



an affected kernel. (Pam- " 



mei and King) West Indies. The writer some years ago 



found it among some ears of corn sent to him by Wm. Fawcett, 

 the director of the botanical garden at Jamaica. 



KERNEL SMUT OF SORGHUM. 



This parasitic fungus {Ustiiago Sorghi (Link) Winter), is quite 

 widely distributed in the United States, though not as common 

 as miny other economic smut?. Link, || in 1825, described it 

 under the name of Sporosporium sorglii. Tulanse*! named it Til- 

 letia sorghi-vulgaris. Kuehn**gaveit the name of Ustiiago tulas- 

 neiin 1874. In 1897 Mr. G. P. Clintonff studied the fungus and 

 applied the nams of Cintractia Sorghi-vulgaris (Tal.), Clinton. 

 This was done in order to avoid confusion with the doubtful Cin- 

 tractia (?) Sorghi (Sorok.) De ToDi.^ The first reference to the 

 occurrence of this fungus in this country was by Trelease,tt 

 who found it on imported seed of sorghum grown in WiscDnsin, 

 further stating that Farlow had received it from the Depart- 



*Mycotbeca universalis. 1624. 



tRabenhorst. Fungi Europ. 2500. 



tLes maladies Orypt. 80 



§rubeuf. Pllanzenkrankhelten. 296 



IILlnn. Sp. PI. 63. 96. 1825. (Ed. Wllld.) 



1^A.nn. d. Sc Nat. III. 7: 116. pi. r, f 17-21. 1847. 



*»Sitzb. uatur. Gesellsch. Halle, 1874: Bot. Zelt. 32: 122. 1871. 



The fungus has been distributed by Rabenhorst, Fung. Europ. No. 1997. Thumen, 

 Herb. Myc. Oec. No. US. Briozl and Cavara, Fuagl Paraslt. No. ?S. Ellis, North Am. 

 Fung No. U9(j. Roumeguere, Fung. Selectl E.vlss. No. .'A'JS. 



t+Broom corn smut. Bull. Univ. 111. A.grl. Exp. Sta. 47. This paper contains an 

 excellent bibliography. 

 Syll. Fung 7; 481. 



«Parasltlc Fungi of Wis. 34. 1884. 



