Anomalomyces panici Vánky, R.G. Shivas & M. Lutz

Sori in some ovaries of an inflorescence, globose or ovoid, 2.0–3.5 mm long, 1.5–3.0 mm wide, 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.

Spore initials agglomerated in the hyaline mass of sporogenous hyphae, elongate, each with a rounded top, increasing in size, becoming globose, 4–5 µm diam.

Immature spore balls delimited by a 2.0–2.5 µm thick oliveaceous brown continuous layer formed from the thickened external wall of the outermost spores. By maturity, spores increasing in size, becoming pigmented and polyangular by mutual pressure; hyaline fungal mass around the spores and the spore balls gradually consumed, leaving fungal cells from which sterile cells develop.

Spore balls subglobose, ovoid, ellipsoidal to subpolyhedrally irregular, 30–200 × 25–120 µm, dark olivaceous brown or opaque, permanent, composed of tens to hundreds of tightly packed spores that separate by hard pressure.

Spores rounded, subpolyhedrally or polyhedrally irregular, 8–11 (–12) × 8.0–10.5 µm, pale olivaceous brown; wall uniformly c. 0.5 µm thick, smooth except for the free surface of the outermost spores in the balls which is 1.0–2.5 µm thick, dark olivaceous brown, apparently smooth to very finely punctate-verruculose; in SEM 2–several rounded low warts often fusing and forming an irregular pattern.

Spore germination (on slide, in humid chamber, at room temperature, in 1 day) resulting in 4–6-celled phragmobasidia 30–60 × 2.5 µm. Basidiospores numerous, fusiform, produced laterally and terminally on sterigmata on the basidia, 8–13 × 0.8–1.5 µm, giving rise by germination to a chain of successively smaller fusiform sporidia.

Sterile cells between the spore balls solitary, of 2 distinct types. Larger sterile cells globose, subglobose, ovoid, ellipsoidal or slightly irregular, 8–15 × 7–12 µm, pale olivaceous brown; wall of 2 layers, even or slightly unevenly 1.2–2.5 µm thick, smooth. Smaller sterile cells globose, subglobose, ovoid or rounded subpolyhedrally irregular, often with 1 or 2 subacute tips, then tear-shaped or lemon-shaped, 3.0–5.5 × 2.5–5.0 µm, medium to dark olivaceous brown; wall thin (c. 0.2–0.3 µm), smooth, often with a short narrow hyphal appendage to 5 µm long.

States & Territories: NT, WA