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ABSTRACT
Sorosporium provinciale induced formation of smut sori in the inflorescence axes of a prairie grass, Andropogon gerardii. Concurrent growth of grass and fungus in the peduncles resulted in sori composed of vascular bundles and epidermal cells as well as sporogenous and sterile hyphae. Tips of sori bore atrophied inflorescence branch primordia. Sori elongated as a result of cell division at the base and matured from the base toward the tip. Sequential sections and bulk specimens of sori were examined with light and electron microscopy and provided information about spore development.
Nuclear fusion apparently preceded ramification of parasitic mycelium in lacunal mats between host parenchyma cells in the peduncle. Sporulation subsequently occurred in the intercellular spaces. Sporeball formation began with the recurving of swollen hyphal tips which then elongated and lost their cell walls as they became embedded in a matrix. Nascent sporeballs were separated by non-sporogenous hyphae. The knots of sporogenous hyphae within the sporeballs disarticulated to form uninucleate spores.
Sorosporium provinciale is one of a group of graminicolous smut species with uncertain taxonomic relationships that may be clarified using sorus and spore development information. Our results indicate S. provinciale might properly be transferred to the genus Sporisorium, as that genus has most recently been delimited.
