Usiilago. 153 



Culanlrinia. 



7. Ustilago calandriniae Clint. 



Clinton, X. Amer. Ustil. Proc. Bost. Soc, p. 378 (1904). 

 Sacc. Syll. XVIL, p. 472 (1905). 

 Sori in ovaries, at tirst of a deep dark-bluish tint, then purplish-black, 

 pulverulent, without perceptible smell. 



Spores globose, brownish-purple, 15-10 ft diani. cpispore clear, 

 reticulated, with ridges about 1.5 /< high and polygonal meshes 

 about 2 /( diam. 



On Calandrinia calyptrata Hook f. 



Victoria— Minvip, Nov., 1897 and Oct., 1898 (Eckert). Rainbow, 

 Oct, 1908. Murtoa, Nov., 1908 (Eckert). Myrniong, Dec, 

 1908, and Jan., 1909 (Brittlebank). 



The spores are at first colourless and may sometimes remain so even when 

 fully formed. 



This smut does not prevent the host-plant reaching its full development, 

 only the seeds are destroyed by it, and it attacks the plants growing in the 

 same patch year after year. 



This species was very abundan.t near Rainbow and wherever the plants 

 occurred in patches, some of them were sure to be affected with the smut. 

 It was only on close inspection that the smutted ovaries could be detected, 

 as the same plant might bear flowers and fruits and sm.utted heads. The 

 smutted ovaries were recognised by being more swollen than the healthy, 

 even before bursting to allow the spores to escape. 



Germination was tried in water with fresh spores and spoi'es nine months 

 old, but at first without success. 



Germination. — This spore, although quite fresh, was somewhat difficult to 

 germinate, and only after six days in distilled water. Only a few germinated 

 in that time but they showed distinctly the formation of conidia as in Usti- 

 lago. The specimen from which the spores were taken was collected on 2nd 

 January, and placed in germinating chamber on the 12th. 



The spore may give rise to one (occasionally two) slender germ-tubes, 

 straight or slightly bent, and sometimes forking at the end, reaching a length 

 of 80-90 /( and up to 4-septate. The conidia are produced laterally and ter- 

 minally, and are colourless and fusiform. Sometimes a conidium germinates 

 while still attached, and produces a secondary conidium. 



(Plates XXIX.. LIII.) 



Danthonia. 



8. Ustilago comburens Ludw . 



Ludwig, Zeitschr. Pflanzonkr. III., p. 139 (1893). 



8acc. Syll. XL, p. 231 (1895). 



U. microspora Massee and Rodway, Kew Bull. p. 160 (190l). 



U. exir/ua Sydow, Ann. Myc. I., p. 177 (1903). 

 Sori in upper portions of stem and in ovaries, ultimately destroying 

 entire inflorescence and exposed on the rachis, covering it with a 

 dense bronze-green powderv spore-mass, at first more or less com- 

 pact. 



Spores globose or ellipsoid, olivaceous in mass, clear yellowish- 

 green individually, smooth, minute, 3-4 '5 /( diam. or 4-4 "5 x 

 2*5-3 /(, occasionallv reaching 5' 5 x 3' 5 /(. 



