20 CONNECTICUT GEOL. AND NAT. HIST. SURVEY. [Bull. 



in diameter, and also vary in shape according to the part at- 

 tacked ; the brownish black spore mass is at first covered with 

 a whitish membrane, composed largely of semi-gelatinized fun- 

 gous threads. The spores are ellipsoidal to spherical, occa- 

 sionally irregular, prominently echinulate, and 8-ii/x, rarely 

 even 15/x, in length. 



Hosts and Distr. : Eiichlama hixurians, New Haven, Sept. 

 11, 1903; Zea Mays, New Haven (Sturgis), Aug. 18, 1901 

 (Rorer) ; Southington, July 17, 1902; Westville, Aug. 14, Sept. 

 2, 1902, June 28, 1904; Hartford, Oct. 20, 1902; New Canaan, 

 Sept. 29, 1903. 



Corn smut is common on both the sweet and field varieties, 

 though in this state the former is more subject to its attacks. 

 Seed treatment will not prevent the 'smut, as it can gain en- 

 trance to its host through any exposed young tissue. The 

 first host given is teosinte, a plant that is closely related to 

 corn. Fig. 55 shows smutted staminate blossoms of corn re- 

 duced to one-half size. 



Ustilago Oxalidis Ell. & Tr. Figs. 3, 48. The incon- 

 spicuous sori are found in the seeds, all or part of these being 

 changed into reddish brown dusty spore masses, that show to 

 the exterior only on the dehiscence of the otherwise little modi- 

 fied ovaries. The spores are golden yellow, ovoid to spherical, 

 or rarely more elongated or irregular, coarsely verrucose, and 

 13-20/Li in length. 



Host and Distr. : Oxalis stricta, Yalesville, July, 1902 ; 

 West Cornwall, July 18, 1902; New Haven, July, 1902; Whit- 

 neyville, Oct. 18, 1902, Sept. 9, 1903 ; Manchester, Oct. 2, 1903. 



An inconspicuous conidial stage is also produced on the 

 surface of the anthers of the infected flowers. These temporary 

 spores are thin-walled and ovoid to subspherical. They are so 

 placed that they are probably carried from the flowers by in- 

 sects, as are pollen grains. Fig. 48 shows two ovaries in which 

 all of the seeds have been changed into smutty bodies. 



Ustilago anomala Kze. The sori occur in the essential 

 organs of all the flowers, the floral envelopes forming a cov- 

 ering to the dusty, purplish spore mass. The spores are light 

 violet, ovoid to spherical, occasionally somewhat irregular, 

 provided with rather fine winged reticulations (1-3^ wide by 

 ifi deep), and 10-15/x, rarely 17^, in length. 



