THE 



Transactions 



OF 



The Royal Society of Soutli Australia 



(Incorporated.) 



Vol. XLVI. 



A Note on the Pathological Morphology of 



CINTRACTIA SPINIFICIS (LUDW.) McALP. 



By T. G. B. OsBORN, D.Sc, 

 Professor of Botany in the University of Adelaide. 



[Read November 10, 1921.] 



Plate I. 



The fungus now known as Cintractia spinificis was 

 described, in 1893, by Ludwig from material collected by Mr. 

 J. G. O. Tepper, near Port Adelaide. In the original descrip- 

 tion the fungus, which was placed in the genus U&tilago, was 

 stated to occur on the female inflorescences, destroying the 

 ovaries. 



In his monograph on ''The Smuts of Australia" (1910) 

 McAlpine redescribed the fungus, transferred it to the genus 

 Cintractia, and gave an account of the method of spore forma- 

 tion and germination. 



The purpose of this note is twofold — first, to place on 

 record the presence of the fungus in the male inflorescences; 

 and, second, to describe certain modifications of the host, 

 occurring in both male and female inflorescences, due to the 

 presence of the parasite. 



Cintractia spinificis was first noted on the male inflores- 

 cences of Spinifex hirsutvs, in February, 1918, at Wright 

 Island, Encounter Bay. The season was then far advanced, 

 and almost all of the spores were shed ; there was, however, 

 sufficient evidence to determine the fungus provisionally. In 

 subsequent seasons — January, 1919 and 1920 — it has been 

 found in abundance at Victor Harbour, occurring on the male 

 as frequently as on the female inflorescences. It has also been 

 found at Grange, not far from the type locality in which 



