Cintractia. 169 



&pore formation. — A cross-section of the racliis shows the plant tissue in 

 the centre and outside of the fibro -vascular bundles is the compact mass of 

 filaments from which the spore-bearing hyphae are produced. These pro- 

 jecting hyphae produce the minute colourless spores at once, which gradually 

 become brown and mature towards the outside. The young spores at first 

 are rather angular, but as they approach maturity they become ellipsoid. 

 Interspersed here and there among the fully formed spores are groups of cells 

 with colourless and gelatinized walls, identical with those of the outer mem- 

 brane. 



Germination. — The smutted grass was very common at Killara in Oct., 

 190G, and the spores germinated freely in water, both at that time and several 

 months later. The promycelium was four-celled, with a length of 3G /( antl 

 3 i-i broad, the protoplasm at first being highly vacuolated before the septa 

 were formed. Conidia are produced both laterally and terminally, and some- 

 times as many as three are formed at the apex in a tri-partite manner. They 

 are cylindrical to fusiform, 6-7 /j. long, and produce secondary conidia while 

 still attached. Spores were taken from specimens obtained in March, 1903, 

 and they also germinated freely, showing that they are able to retain their 

 germinating power for nearly five years. 



Plates XXIII. , XXXVI. , LIII.) 



Distichlis. 

 25. Cintractia distichlydis McAlp. 



Sori surrounding internodes usually for their whole length, at first en- 

 veloped by the leaf-sheaths and also covered by the epidermis, 

 which gradually breaks away, exposing the dark-brown dense spore- 

 masses. 



Spores bright olivaceous individually, globose to shortly ellip- 

 soid, smooth, minute, 5-6 n diam. or 6-7 x 4-5 "5 fi. 

 On Distichlis maritima Eafin. 



Victoria — Oct., 1891 (National Herbarium — C. French, jun.). 

 Elsternwick, March, 1900 (C. French, jun.). Sandringham 

 Sept., 1905. Elsternwick, Feb., 1910 (Brittlebank). 

 This grass is sometimes much reduced in size owing to the fungus. 

 Spore formation. — Sections of the diseased stems show the tissues of the 

 plant in the centre and on the outside of the fibro-vascular bundles the spore- 

 forming hyphae arise. The hyphae with elongated joints soon begin to form 

 spores which are at first minute, rounded and colourless, but graduallv 

 towards the circumference they increase in size, assume an olivaceous tint 

 and become mature. 



Ustilago hypodi/tes (Schl.) Fr., is given on this host in Arizona by Clinton* 

 and wliile there is a general resemblance, yet on comparing the spores of 

 C. distlchh/<lis with those of C. hi/pod>/tes the average size of the former is seen 

 to be decidedly larger than the latter. 



Germination. — This takes place equally well in water or in a imtritive 

 solution such as somatose, in the course of 24 hours. The germ-tube is 

 elongated, 1-4 septate, with finely vacuolated contents at first, then graiudar, 

 30-54 ft long and 3 /.i broad. Conidia are produced both laterally and ter- 

 minally, generally on slender stalks. They are oval, hyaline, with finely 

 granular contents, 4-7 n long, and sometimes two may be produced at the 

 apex. 



(Plates XXIV.. XXXVI.) 



