May 26, igas 
Graminicolovs Species of Helminthosporium 
699 
while somewhat similar to the type of discoloration attributable to 
H. sativuMy can usually be distinguished by its lesser intensity, being 
diffused brownish rather than dark brown. 
Especially pertinent in this connection is Henry's (61) recent report 
of the isolation from black-pointed wheat kernels, of certain forms he 
designated as ''Helminthosporium sp." and "Brachysporium,” which, 
while of much less frequent occurrence than the spot-blotch fungus, 
were found to be efficient causes of black point. The writer, who was 
kindly permitted to examine transfers of these fungi, can only confirm 
the correctness of Henry's judgment in regarding the "Helminthosporium 
sp." as distinct from H, sativum. It appears to be different from any 
species figured in this paper, though, perhaps, most suggestive of H, 
monoceras. The strains designated as "Brachysporium” appear to re¬ 
present one or several smaller-spored forms that might not improperly 
also have been referred to the genus Helminthosporium, bearing a good 
deal of resemblance to a species frequently observed by the writer on 
withered leaves of Danthonia spicata (L.) Beauv. 
It may not be amiss to refer here to a fungus described under the name 
Podosporiella verticillata by O'Gara (pS) who found it on the kernels of 
germinating wheat in the Salt Lake Valley, causing stunting of the 
resulting seedlings, and an uneven stand. The conidia of this form show 
a very obvious general resemblance to those of the larger species of 
Helminthosporium. The S)mnemata figiured by O'Gara are evidently 
not dissimilar from the threadlike or columnar structures observable, 
for example, in cultures of H. inequalis Shear, or of H. cyclops. Indeed, 
except for the arrangement of the conidia on the sporophore, which 
according to O’Gara is verticillate, the fungus shows considerable simi¬ 
larity especially to the last named of these species. 
While Helminthosporium sativum has not been reported as attacking 
maize in the field, the writer has found it of more or less frequent occur¬ 
rence on the dead remains of mature plants. Cultures derived from 
fructifications on old culms and leaves were not observed to differ in 
any important detail from cultures of the spot-blotch fungus isolated 
from barley. In a few instances, sporophores and spores of a form similar 
to H, sativum, at least in respect to morphological characteristics, were 
found on dead areas gf leaves of sweet com collected on Long Island. 
However, as the fructifications of H, turcicum were also present in ex¬ 
cessive abundance, it was not possible to draw any definite conclusions 
concering the biological relations of the form under consideration. In 
general, its distribution on com suggests a saprophytic existence on 
this host, modified, perhaps, by a capacity to establish itself on moribund 
foliage. It may be mentioned in this connection that while Stevens 
found his strains of the Illinois foot-rot organism capable of infecting com 
and com-fodder, L. J. Stakman secured negative results from the inocu¬ 
lation of com plants with strains of Helminthosporium isolated from a 
node of affected wheat and from rye seed. In some preliminary in¬ 
fection experiments the writer applied spores of H. sativum from barley 
to com seedlings about 5 inches high, very liberally stroking them in 
water suspension on the moistened leaves with a spatula, and then con¬ 
fined the seedlings in a saturated atmosphere for 48 hours. At the end 
of this time the leaves had lost their mechanical rigidity and the entire 
plants looked as if they had been steamed, although the controls, treated 
in the same way except that no inoculum was applied, were nearly normal. 
That much significance attaches to such injury, unlike any naturally 
