12 
singly dusky or brownish fuscous, never very dark, perfectly spherical 
or very slightly oval, regular in size, 16J-21//diam., but mostly 18-20// 
(exclusive of hyaline envelope). The outer wall of the spores is marked 
with scattering, regular spines or faint reticulations (formed by coales¬ 
cence of the spines f) J-l £// high, but completely enveloped by the outer 
hyaline layer, which is ty-4// thick. The outer wall is about 1J-2// 
thick, and is the darkest colored part of tbe spore; immediately within 
this is a thinner, clear, lighter colored wall J-l// thick ; following this 
is a layer of variable thickness, usually finely but sometimes coarsely 
granular. In the center of the spore is a very light homogeneous usu¬ 
ally spherical body 7-10//, mostly 7J-9/z in diameter. 
On male plants of Buchloe dactiiloides, western and southwestern Kan¬ 
sas (Trego County, 1886, and Ford County, June, 1888). 
In some cases, especially in young spores, the hyaline layer is seen to 
be made of two distinct layers, the inner extending from the wall to the 
tips of the spines and being slightly darker than the outer layer. The 
immature spores when placed in water become very much swollen and 
are almost colorless, except the collapsed central body. Mixed with the 
spores were seen in many cases a hyaline, branched, septate mycelium, 
3-4Jyu diarn., but whether connected with the spores or uot can not be 
said. Attempts to induce germination of the spores failed. 
The infected plants are easily detected by their apparently denser 
and darker inflorescence, but the monstrosity consists solely in the pro¬ 
duction of ovaries in the male plants. These are in every case filled 
with the mass of spores and are very much enlarged pushing the glumes 
wide apart. In size the smutted ovaries are 1.3-1.8 by 0.6-1.3 mm . The 
few female plants collected in the same localities were free from the 
fungus. Figs. 1-11. 
Ustilago andropogonis, 7i. s.* In the ovaries of Andropogon pro- 
vincialis and A. Hallii , not only the sessile flowers (which are perfect)? 
but also the pedicelled ones, which are normally stamiuate, often pro¬ 
duce the cylindrical elongated infested ovaries; spores in mass intensely 
black, as seen singly dark brown or black, subglobose or slightly oval, 
sometimes oblong elliptical or ovate, slightly angular. Wall thick 
(3-2//, mostly 3 J//) very finely and closely echinulate. Contents coarsely 
aud evenly granular or sometimes homogeneous, 12-19// by 9J-16//, 
mostly 13^-154// by 11-14//. 
* Since sending the description of this species to the printer we have received Ellis 
& Everhart’s North American Fungi Cent. XXIII. No. 2265 Sorosporium Ellisii. 
var. occidentalis , on Andropogon furcatus, Bismarck, Dak., August, 1884, A. B. Sey¬ 
mour, is the same as Ustilago andropogonis , Kell. & Sw. The Dakota specimens 
were examined by us as were theyouugest Kansas specimens (collected June 26, 1888) 
but in none could the spore masses characterizing Sorosporium be seen. Besides, the 
spores are larger and different in color, shape, thickness, and character of wall, num¬ 
ber and size of spores, etc., from Sorosporium Ellisii. The species as far as can be de¬ 
termined without a knowledge of the germination of the spores certainly seems to 
be a good Ustilago. No. 2265, b. N. A. F. on Andropogon Virginicus, New field, N. J., 
is apparently different from the above aud a true Sorosporium. 
