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



Sorosporium Rud. 



The sori occur in various parts of the host, forming dusty 

 dark colored spore masses like Ustilago. The medium-sized 

 spore balls are composed of numerous spores, often so loosely 

 held together that in time they separate entirely. The spores 

 are like those of Ustilago, simple, olive to reddish brown, and 

 of medium size. Figs. 7, 36. 



When the spore balls become separated into the individual 

 spores, it is difficult to distinguish the species from Ustilago. 

 The numbe* of species described by Saccardo is over 30, but 

 some of these probably belong under other genera. For 

 North America 9 species are now known, and 2 or 3 of these 

 occur in Connecticut. 



Key to Species of Sorosporium. 



I. Sori in ovaries, 1-2 cm. in length ; spores 8-12^ 



S. Everhartii. 

 II. Sori involving the entire infloresence usually. 



A. Sorus 1-5 cm. ; spores 12-19^ 5\ Ellisii. 



B. Sorus usually yj cm. ; spores 9-13^ 



S. Syntherismce. 



Sorosporium Everhartii Ell. & Gall. The sori develop 

 in the ovaries, forming linear bodies 1-2 cm. in length, and are 

 covered with a prominent whitish false membrane that de- 

 hisces at the apex into several lobes, disclosing the black- 

 brown, semi-agglutinated spore mass and the flattened colu- 

 mella of plant tissue. The spore balls are oblong to subspher- 

 ical, composed of many firmly agglutinated spores, and vary 

 from 55 to 125/i in length. The spores are reddish brown, or 

 the interior ones often nearly hyaline, ovoid to subspherical 

 or polyhedral, smooth (outermost rarely granular), and 8-12^ 

 in length. 



Host and Distr. : Andropogon scoparius, Westville, Oct. 

 22, 1903; [Southington, July 16, 1902; North Haven, July 26, 

 1902; Montowese, Sept. 20, 1902; New Haven, Oct. 18, 



1903]- 



The first specimen mentioned above is typical of the species 



as described here. Those included in the brackets were origi- 



