Vankya ornithogali  

A smut fungus of Gagea spp. (G. lutea and G. bohemica in GB&I), visible as lesions/pustules on leaves and stems, up to 10 mm in length, that later split to release a dark black-brown powdery mass of spores.

Sori 1-5(-10) mm long, dark blackish-olive-brown ellipsoidal or fusiform pustules on leaves of Gagea lutea in GB&I, initially covered by the epidermis, but then rupturing longitudinally to expose a blackish brown, powdery spore mass. Spores variable in shape and size; subglobose, ovoid, irregular, subpolyhedral or elongate; sometimes with an acute tip or short pedicel; 10.5-19(-24) µm x 9.5-15 µm, yellowish to reddish brown; wall 0.5-1.5 µm thick, apparently one-layered, nearly to finely smooth, moderately densely punctate-verruculose, but dots not affecting the spore profile.  Sterile cells few, solitary or in groups of 2-4, subglobose, ellipsoidal, slightly irregular, rarely elongated, collapsed in old specimens, 11-20 µm long, usually of the same colour as the spores; wall 1.5-3(-4) µm thick, one-layered, smooth (but rough under high magnification SEM). Infection systemic, appearing on the same host plant year after year.

Description based on Vánky (2013). For external images see the Bioimages website.

Map of known distribution in Great Britain and Ireland.