186 Lilinois State Laboratory of Natural History. 
Var. Vernonie. 
Amphigenous; spots small, purple, with a pale yellow bor- 
der, or yellow only, sometimes indistinct: sori scattered, sub- 
rotund, prominent, blackish brown or black; spores oblong- 
elliptical, mostly regularly rounded at the ends, slightly con- 
stricted, a central nucleus in each cell, 20 by 42 «; pedicel 
hyaline, about four times as long as the spore. Uredospores 
preceding or accompanying the teleutospores, not numerous, 
subglobose, sharply echinulate, about 25 » in diameter. 
On Vernonia fasciculata: Champaign, Aug. 11, 1014; 
Piatt, Aug. 16, 1094, Aug. 17, 1098, 1102; McLean, Sept. 6, 
5670, Oct. 12, 1844, 1850; LaSalle, Sept. 14, 1527, Sept. 30, 
6254; JoDaviess, Sept. 19, 5996. 
Schweinitz (N. Am. Fungi, No. 2926) calls this form P. 
Vernoniv, and describes it as follows: 
“Spots none. Differing from P. helianthi in the rather large pulvinate 
sori, and the delicate ferruginous color of the spores. It sometimes oc- 
curs also on species of Helianthus.” 
But the gradation of forms between this and the typical 
P. helianthi leaves no sufficient ground for specific distinction. 
Further, P. helivnthi seems to be P. tanaceti, DC. Winter 
(Rabh. Krypt., Fl. I, p. 209) unites the two, while Schréter 
(Hedw. XIV., p. 180) maintains that they are distinct, basing 
his arguments on distribution. The size, shape, and color of the 
spores vary greatly, but areso connected by intermediate forms 
that no specific distinction can be founded on these character- 
istics. Cultures are necessary to determine such distinction if 
there is any. In the meantime, so long as we are unable to 
recognize a difference by appearance, there can be no question 
as to which name to choose, even though this carries us against 
common usage and our own habit. 
P. flosculosorum, (Alb. & Schw.) Roehl. 
I, I. Amphigenous. Sori small, scattered or in small 
clusters. Uredospores subglobose, sharply echinulate, mostly 
rather thick walled, 24-30 «; teleutospores broadly elliptical or 
oval, constriction little or none, rarely thickened at the apex, 
