Resting Spore Germination in Synchytrium Australe in Relation to its Classification

SUMMARY

The resting spore of Synchytrium australe functions as a prosorus in germination. In this process the content of the spore grows out to form a thin-walled, attached vesicle or incipient sorus whose protoplasm undergoes cleavage into 4 to 14 sporangia. The latter form zoospores which are fundamentally similar to those produced by the summer sporangia. On the basis of method of resting spore germination and other developmental phases S. australe is placed in the subgenus Microsynchytrium, and is the second terrestrial species to be added to this group.