Ustilago Vaillantii, Tul., on Chionodoxa 
Luciliae, Boiss. 
BY 
Ko OC} DAVIE, MLA: hoc; 
Lecturer on Botany, University of Edinburgh, 
AND 
MALCOLM WILSON, D.Sc., F.L.S., 
Lecturer on Mycology, University of Edinburgh. 
With one figure in the text. 
DurinG March 1913, Ustilago Vazllanti, Tul.,* was found by 
one of us on flowers of Chionodoxa Luctiliae, Boiss., growing in 
the ae Garden. 
o the present this smut has been recorded on Gagea 
neta Salisb., Scilla bifolia, Linn., Urginea anthericotdes, 
Steinh., U. Scilla, Steinh., Muscart comosum, M. 
boiryoides, Mill., Hyacinthus rvomanus, Linn., H. trifoliatus, 
Tenore,f and H. ciliatus, Cyrill.t 
In Great Britain § it commonly occurs in the anthers and 
ovaries of Scilla bifolia, and it is present on this plant in the 
Botanic Garden. It was recorded on Chionodoxa at Kew in 
1893.|| In the case of Chionodoxa we have discovered it only in 
the anthers. According to W. G. Smith,§ infected plants of 
Scilla remain vigorous for a year or two, but succumb to repeated 
attacks. He adds that plants of Chionodoxa fall an easy prey 
to the fungus. Since no previous record on Chionodoxa has been 
made in Scotland and as the disease appears to do considerable 
harm, a further investigation of the fungus was undertaken. 
In colour and in structure the spores agree with the description 
of those of Ustilago Vaillantii, given by Saccardo ;} in size they 
fall within the limits of measurement quoted by him. On 
Chionodoxa the spores measured 10-13 « X8-I0 wy. When fresh 
* L. and Ch. Tulasne, Ann. des Sci. Nat., sér. 3, vii ole Pp. 90. 
8), P 
|| G. Massee, Grevillea, xxi (1892-93), p. 120. 
[Notes, R.B.G., Edin., No. XXXVIII, Sept. 1914.) 
