Thecaphora affinis
General description:
Sori in dead fruits of the host plant, infecting and destroying the seeds. Spore mass granular, dark reddish brown. Spore balls 37-52 (-58) µm, ± globose, persistent, containing (7-) 10-12 (-15) ustilospores. Ustilospores 16-19 µm diam., angular, the contiguous surfaces flat and smooth, the exposed surfaces coarsely verrucose.
Conservation status:
Not formally assessed, but the species has only been reported once from GBI and the host plant is threatened by intensice agricultural practices.
Associations:
In dead seed pods of Astragalus glycyphyllos.
Distribution:
One report from VC22 Oxfordshire.