Two kinds of ballistoconidia in the anamorph of Tilletia setariae

The teliospore of Tiletia selariae germinated to give rise to a unicellular basidium with an apical tuft of filiform basidiospores. These germinated to produce branched mycelia bearing ballistoconidia which, in rum, on germination, gave rise to similar mycelia. On these, after 2 d, curved ballistoconidia were developed and set free singly. However, after a further 2 d, straight naviculoid ballistoconidia appeared in small numbers in the deposit from an inverted culture. In this deposit were not only single ballistoconidia, but also groups of 2-6 which had clearly been liberated as such. A group might contain both types of ballistoconidia. Intermediates between these were extremely rare.