414 Transactions. 
Spores globose to shortly elliptical, 11-14 x 8-12 mmm. ; epispore 
minutely and closely verruculose, dark brown, 1-1-5 mmm. thick. 
Hosts : : 
osts :— 
Danthonia pilosa R. Br. In panicles, stems, and leaves. Herb. 
Nos. 782, 1267. Mount Hector, Tararua Mountains (Wellington), 
1,600 m., E. Н. Atkinson! 21 Dec., 1919. Plimmerton (Wel- 
lington), sea-shore, E. H. Atkinson! 1 Dec., 1921. Kelburn 
(Wellington), 120m., G. H. C. 23 Nov., 1922; 4 Dec., 1923. 
Danthonia semiannularis R. Br. Herb. No. 200. Whitianga (Hawke's 
Bay), Shelford-Bidwell ! 18 Dec., 1920. Otane (Auckland), H. F. 
Nunn! 3 Mar., 1922. Botanical Gardens (Wellington), 80 m., 
G. H.C. 19 Jan. 1921. J.C. Neill! G. H.C. å Dec., 1923. 
Anthoxanthum odoratum L. Herb. No. 1948. Wallaceville (Wel- 
lington), 30m., F. E. Ward! 5 Dec., 1920. 
Distribution: Australia. 
Both species of Danthonia are indigenous and abundant throughout; 
they occur also in Australia (Cheeseman, 1906, p. 890). "This smut 
hitherto been recorded only on Danthonia, Anthozanthum being an addi- 
tional host, 
is is the most abundant of all species of the Ustilaginaceae occurring 
in New Zealand, an appears season after season in the same locality. 
U. Agropyri McAlp. was based on a mixture of material of Agropyron and 
Danthonia, which was afterwards separated out. 
Germination—In water germination occurs within twenty-four hours, 
probasidia bearing abundant conidia being produced; frequently the 
conidia are borne on short sterigmata. In nutrient solution the conidia 
produce secondary conidia by budding. 
2. ELATEROMYCES Bubak. 
Sori semi-compact, dark-coloured, usually confined to the inflorescences. 
Spores single, globose to angular, smooth or verruculose, mixed with 
numerous coloured filaments (elaters) formed of numerous hyphae arranged 
Distribution : World-wide. 
. _Of the three New Zealand specles, two are endemic, and the third is 
indigenous, being widely distributed elsewhere. 
. This genus was erected by Bubak on account of the presence in the 
sort of numerous peculiar filaments, or “ elaters,” as he has termed them. 
manner. The hyphae are septate, and are 5-8 mmm. in thickness ; the 
elaters may attain a length of 22 mm., but usually they are much shorter 
than this, being on an average 8-10 mm. long ; in thickness they vary from 
1 or even more. They are so characteristic that I have no 
The method of germination is discussed under Æ. olivaceus and E. niger. 
_ The three New Zealand species are confined to the Cyperaceae, two 
being parasitic on Carex, the third on Gahnia. Bubak records another 
species in addition to E, olivaceus—E. Treubii (Solms.) Bubak (— Ustilago 
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