FIG. 2.

Life cycle of the anther smut fungus Microbotryum violaceum (adapted from reference 78). Diploid teliospores are produced in the anthers (a) and are transmitted by pollinators (b) onto a healthy plant (c). The teliospores germinate, undergo meiosis, and produce yeast-like sporidia (d). Conjugation takes place on the plant between sporidia of opposite mating types (e). Dicaryotic hyphae grow in the plant (f) and overwinter in vegetative tissues (g). The following year, infection is systemic (h), and all flowers produce teliospores (a).