Studies in Heterobasidiomycetes, Part 31*). On the Anther Smuts of Silene vuigaris (Moench) Garcke

Microbotryum silenes-inflatae (DC) G. Deml & Oberw. and Microbotryum violaceoirregulare (Brandenburger & Schwinn) G. Deml & Oberw., both parasitic in the anthers of Silene vulgaris (Moench) Garcke, are compared by their morphology, karyology, and some cultural characteristics. The infection of their hosts is similar in both species, but causes different sizes of the flowers and different color of the spore mass. The teliospore initials of that smuts are produced in dikaryotic sporogenous hyphae. During gelatinization of the hyphal coat, surface ornamentations on the teliospores are formed. Mature teliospores are monokaryotic, and presumably diploid, reticulate in Microbotryum silenes-inflatae and echinulate in M. violaceo-irregulare. Teliospores of both species germinate without a resting periode. Germination results in a commonly three-celled promycelium, which in M. silenes-inflatae separates from the producing teliospore, while in M. violaceo-irregulare it remains on the teliospore during basidiospore formation. The basidiospores are monokaryotic and propagate by budding. Monokaryotic strains were isolated and characterized by standard yeast identification tests and by some enzymatic activities on solid media. While no differences in the enzymatic activities can be found, the species differ in their utilization of carbon sources.