Illustrated Genera of Smut Fungi, Third Edition

1. AHMADIAGO K. Vánky, Mycotaxon 89:102, 2004d.

Sori on host plants in Euphorbiaceae (seeds), peridium, columella and sterile cells lacking. Spore mass dark brown, agglutinated to powdery. Spores single, pigmented (brown, without violet or orange-yellow tint).

Host-parasite interaction by intracellular hyphae, coated by an electron-opaque matrix. Mature septa poreless.

Type of the genus: A. euphorbiae.

Ahmadiago is currently a unispecific genus in the Ustilaginales.

Ahmadiago euphorbiae (B.B. Mundkur) K. Vánky, Mycotaxon 89:103, 2004d.

Ustilago euphorbiae Mundkur, Trans. Brit. Mycol. Soc. 24:331, 1940. — Type on Euphorbia dracunculoides, India, Punjab, Kalashah Kaku, 18.VIII.1936, leg. S. Ahmad, HCIO; isotypes in IMI, K, HUV 5475!

Sori (Fig. 1 B) in the seeds forming ovoid or slightly irregular, c. 2 × 3 mm large bodies with dark chocolate brown, agglutinated to powdery spore masses produced within the tissues of the endosperm, cotyledons and embryo, enclosed by the intact testa. True peridium and columella lacking. Spores (Figs. 1 C, D) globose, subglobose, ovoid, broadly ellipsoidal or slightly irregular with a more or less flattened side, 5-7(-8) × 5.5-8(-9) µm, olivaceous brown, paler on the flattened side; wall uneven, 0.7-0.8 µm thick on the darker side, c. 0.2-0.3 thick on the paler side, smooth. Sterile cells absent. Spore germination unknown.

On Euphorbiaceae: Euphorbia dracunculoides Lam.; Asia. Known only from the type collection.

Ref.: Mundkur 1940, Vánky 2004d.

Fig. 1 A-D. Ahmadiago euphorbiae on Euphorbia dracunculoides, isotype, HUV 5475.

A. A healthy plant of Euphorbia dracunculoides (Reproduced from the Flora of China, internet).

B. Three infected, swollen and deformed seeds (Bar = 3 mm).

C, D. Spores in LM and in SEM.

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2. AIZOAGO K. Vánky, in Vánky & Shivas, Mycobiota 1:2, 2013.

Sori on vegetative parts and fruits of plants in Aizoaceae, bullate, filled with a dark, semiagglutinated mass of spores. Columella and sterile cells absent. Spores solitary, pigmented (yellowish brown, no violet or reddish tint), ornamented and covered by a thick sheath, formed in septate sporogenous hyphae.

Aizoago has two species, known from Australia: A. tetragonioides Vánky & R.G. Shivas, on Tetragonia tetragonioides (Pallas) Kuntze, and the type of the genus: Aizoago tetragoniae K. Vánky & R.G. Shivas Mycobiota 1:3, 2013.

Type on Tetragonia diptera F. Muell., Australia, Western Australia, Shark Bay, 1971, leg. H.L. Harwey.

Holotype IMI 162907, isotypi DAR 59828, HUV 21961!

Sori (Fig. 2 A) on the stems and fruits producing bullate swellings up to 1 cm in diameter, first covered by host tissue that ruptures at maturity, exposing the dark reddish brown, semiagglutinated mass of spores.

Columella and sterile cells absent. Spores (Figs 2 C, D) globose, subglobose, ellipsoidal to slightly irregular, 22.5-30 × 24-36 µm (including the sheath). The proper spores are globose to ellipsoidal, 16-23 µm long, yellowish brown with an evenly 0.5-0.8 µm thick wall that is indistinctly, completely or usually incompletely reticulate and often also sparsely verruculose. Muri on the spore circumference thin, acute, 1.5-4 µm high, 17-28 on the spore circumference. The sheaths are evenly or unevenly 3-11 µm thick, pale yellowish brown, composed of a slightly darker inner layer, into which the muri penetrate, and 1-3 paler outer layers. Spore formation (Fig. 2 B) in septate sporogenous hyphae, in rows or rarely in groups. Immature spores globoid, rounded subpolyhedrally irregular, rarely elongate or lacrymiform, at beginning lacking sheath, having only a thin, hyaline spore wall which gradually becomes pigmented and finally ornamented and with a thick, subhyaline sheath.

On Aizoaceae: Tetragonia diptera F. Muell., Australia. Known only from the type locality.

Ref.: Vánky & Shivas 2013.

Fig. 2 A-D. Aizoago tetragoniae on Tetragonia diptera, isotype, HUV 21961.

A. Sori on a pedicel and in a fruit. Habit (Bar = 1 cm).

B. Spore formation in sporogenous hyphae, in LM (Bar = 10 µm).

C-D. Mature spores in LM and in SEM (Bars = 10 µm).

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3. ANOMALOMYCES K. Vánky, M. Lutz & R.G. Shivas, Mycol. Balcan. 3:120, 2006. emend. Vánky & R.G. Shivas, in Shivas, Lutz, McTaggart & Vánky, Mycobiota 1:22. 2013.

Sori in hypertrophied ovaries of Poaceae divided into compartments by membranes of host tissue permeated by hyphae, peridium of host and fugal tissue present, columella absent. Spores pigmented (brown, without violet or reddish tint), forming permanent spore balls. Outermost spores in the balls covered by a hard, darkly pigmented, amorphous cortex, formed by agglutinated, strongly modified fungal cells. Spore balls permanent, composed of pigmented (brown) spores, coated by the cortex. Sterile cells between the spore balls variable in morphology and frequency, of one or more types. Spore germination results in phragmobasidia producing basidiospores laterally and terminally.

Anomalomyces, belonging to the Ustilaginaceae, has two species: A. yakirrae R.G. Shivas, M. Lutz, A.R. McTaggart & Vánky on Yakirra pauciflora, and the type of the genus: Anomalomyces panici K. Vánky, R.G. Shivas & M. Lutz in Vánky, Lutz & Shivas, Mycol. Balcan. 3:120, 2006.

Type on Panicum trachyrhachis, Australia, Northern Territory, 100 km S of Darwin, Snake Creek, alt. 140 m, 9.VI.2006, leg. M.J. Ryley, M.D.E. & R.G. Shivas, BRIP 47952; isotype HUV 21366!

Sori (Fig. 3 A) in some ovaries of an inflorescence, globoid or ovoid, 1.5-3 × 2-3.5 mm, covered by a thick peridium of host and fungal origin, initially green, becoming brown, at maturity rupturing irregularly at the apex, exposing the dark brown, semi-agglutinated to granular-powdery mass of spore balls mixed with numerous sterile cells. Columella lacking but the sori are divided into incomplete and irregular compartments by membranes of host tissue permeated by hyphae. In the hyaline mass of sporogenous hyphae agglomerated groups of elongate spore initials appear, each with a rounded top. These increase in size, become globoid, 4-5 µm in diameter. During this early stage the spore balls become delimited by a 2-2.5 µm thick, olive-brown, continuous layer formed of the thickened external wall of the outermost spores. During maturation, the spores increase in size, become pigmented and polyangular by mutual pressure whereas the hyaline fungal mass around the spores and the spore balls is gradually consumed, excepting some fungal cells from which sterile cells develop. Spore balls (Figs. 3 B, C) subglobose, ovoid, ellipsoidal to subpolyhedrally irregular, 25-120 × 30-200 µm, dark olive-brown or opaque, permanent, composed of tens to hundreds of tightly packed spores that separate by strong pressure. Spores (Figs. 3 B, C) rounded subpolyhedrally or polyhedrally irregular, 8-10.5 × 8-11(-12) µm, pale olive-brown; wall even, thin (c. 0.5 µm), smooth, except for the free surface of the outermost spores in the balls which is 1-2.5 µm thick, dark olive-brown, apparently smooth to very finely punctate-verruculose, in SEM two or several rounded, low warts often fusing and forming an irregular pattern. Sterile cells (Figs. 3 B, C) between the spore balls of two types, one large and one small, both solitary. Sterile cells of the larger type globose, subglobose, ovoid, ellipsoidal or slightly irregular, 7-12 × 8-15 µm, pale olive-brown; wall of two layers, even or slightly uneven, 1.2-2.5 µm thick, smooth. Sterile cells of the smaller type globose, subglobose, ovoid, rounded subpolyhedrally irregular, often with one or two subacute tips, then tear- or lemon-shaped, 2.5-5 × 3-5.5 µm, medium dark olive-brown; wall thin (c. 0.2-0.3 µm), smooth, often with a narrow, short hyphal appendage, up to 5 µm long. Spore germination (Fig. 3 D) results in 4-6-celled phragmobasidia, 2.5 × 30-60 µm.

Basidiospores numerous, fusiform, produced laterally and terminally on sterigmata on the basidia, 0.8-1.5 × 8-13 µm, giving rise by germination to a chain of successively smaller, fusiform sporidia.

On Poaceae: Panicum trachyrhachis Benth.; Australia.

Ref.: Vánky, Lutz & Shivas 2006, Shivas, Lutz, McTaggart & Vánky 2013.

Fig. 3 A-D. Anomalomyces panici on Panicum trachyrhachis, isotype, HUV 21366.

A. Sori in some ovaries. Habit and enlarged three sori and some healthy spikelets (Bars = 1 cm).

B-C. Spore balls, spores and sterile cells in LM and in SEM (Bars = 10 µm).

D. Section of a young sorus with developing spore balls (in lactophenol with cotton blue; Bar = 10 µm).

E. Germinating spores (in water, at room temp., in one day; Bar = 10 µm).

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