116 
Journal of Mycology 
[Vol. 11 
RUST NOTES FOR 1904 . 
J. M. BATES. 
At Callaway, Neb., I had the opportunity, in 1902-3, of 
making some observations on the relations between the Puccinia 
on Distichlis stricta and the Aecidium on Chenopodium album 
and C. leptophyllum that led to the cultures of these aecidia 
by Dr. J. C. Arthur, from material sent by me. At the same 
time I collected Aecidium on Cleome serrulata and Lepidium 
apetalum in equally close connection with the Distichlis rust. 
But knowing little, at the time, of the investigations in rust 
relationships, I placed no importance on the facts. In January 
1903 I moved to Red Cloud, Webster Co., and had an equally 
good chance to study the Distichlis rust; and a growing interest 
in the whole subject. Here I found the Aecidium on Cleome 
and Lepidium in such close relation with Distichlis as to con¬ 
vince me that they were mutually dependent the one on the 
other, and so wrote to Mr. Holway. He replied that no rust 
had been known to occupy the plants of more than one order, 
and that my claim was hardly tenable. 
I watched the early Uredo form on Distichlis with no other 
Aecidium at hand but that on Cleome, and my conviction grew, 
so that in 1904 I asked Dr. Arthur to test the matter with my 
teleutospores. In two or three weeks I learned from him that 
the test was a success on Cleome and Lepidium. I then began 
further investigations, having in the meantime found abundant 
aecidia on Salsola tragus, under the same conditions that sur¬ 
rounded the Cleome, with no room for doubt that it came from 
Distichlis. 
It seemed that there was no reason why I should not find 
it on others of the Cruciferae growing under the same conditions. 
The hunt was made and the aecidia found on Sophia incisa and 
Roripa sinuata May 25, and on Bursa bursa-pastoris May 31. 
It affected stems and leaves about equally in proportion to sur¬ 
face exposed. I would not think from the amount found that 
these genera were as susceptible as Chenopodium and Lepidium. 
The aecidia were magnificent on both last year. I made some 
cultures on both genera in May, and had apparent success; but 
such out-door cultures are not of much scientific value, in the 
neighborhood of the real thing. Chenopodium hybridum failed 
to show inoculation. The plants may have been too old (6 in. 
to 12 in.). I hope to try young plants this year. 
We evidently have here a cosmopolitan rust, wonderfully 
adaptable. I see no reason to think that its possibilities have 
been exhausted by these finds, four of which I suppose are new 
to science. Let others who live near this grass rust follow up 
the clue here given, as I hope to do still further. 
