Sorosporiid)!. 1)9 



Spores dark-l)ro\vn, variable in shape and size, subglobose to 

 oval or oblong, sometimes polygonal from pressure, finely echinu- 

 late, 13-15 /< cliam. or 14-20 x 11-15 /(, average 16 /< long. 

 On Eriochloa punctata Ham. 



New South Wales — Liverpool Plains. 1906 (Turner). 

 Eriochloa annulata Kunth. 



New South Wales — Murrumbidgee, 1886 (Bennett). 

 This smut was originally found in Arizona on Eriochloa punctata. The 

 specimen collected by Bennett in 1886 was sent to Kew, and a portion of 

 the original material labelled TiUetia mixta was kindly supplied to me by the 

 director. 



(Plate XLI.) 



Chamaeraphis. 

 36. Sorosporium panici-miliacei (Pers.) Takahashi. 



Takahashi, Tok. Bot. Mag. XVI., p. 247 (1902). 

 Ustilago panici-miliacei (Pers.) Wint. Die Pilze, p. 89 (1884). 

 Sori produced in the inflorescence, destroying the spikelets and causing 

 the ovary to swell, leaving the filiform spreading branches bearing 

 them curled up, occasionally only a portion of the inflorescence 

 attacked ; epidermis of the host envelops the sori, together with a 

 dense layer of sterlie hyphae. 



Spore-balls irregular in shape and variable in size, round to 

 oval or oblong or polygonal, dark-brown, 50-100 /.i long. 



Spores yellowish-brown, subglobose to angular or ellipsoid ; 

 epispore firm, very finely echinulate, 9-13 /« diam. or 9-14 x 8-11 i-i. 

 On Chamaeraphis spinescens Poir. z= Panicum spinescens R. Br. 

 Victoria— Murray Eiver, Jan., 1888 (Walter). 

 New South Wales — Near Corowa, Jan., 1906 (Pcscott). 

 This was determined by Cooke as U. cesatii Waldh., but the examination 

 of a portion of the original material from the National Herbarium showed it 

 to be a Sorosporium. This is the first record of the species for Australia, and 

 it thoroughly agrees Avith the characters given for it on Panicum miliaceum 

 by Takahashi^. 



Spore formation. — The smut pustule is enveloped by the epidermis of the 

 host and a relatively thick layer of sterile hyphae in close contact with it. 

 It is also traversed longitudinally by the fibro-vascular bundles together 

 mth strands of sterile hyphae generally resembling those of the coating. 



The spore-balls are formed in concentric rings around each fibro-vascular 

 bundle, the youngest being innermost and the outermost often blending 

 with those of adjoining bundles. The young balls have an investment of 

 sterile gelatinous hyphae, but at maturity this has disappeared, being used 

 up in the growth of the balls. 



According to Trzhebinski^ the spores adhering to the seeds of this smut 

 are successfully destroyed by soaking the latter in a solution containing 

 • 5 per cent, of copper sulphate and • 25 per cent, of formalin. 



(Plate XL.) 



