Morphological and molecular characterization of . infecting and in longleaf pine-grassland ecosystems in the southeastern USA.

A smut fungus that hinders wiregrass restoration efforts in longleaf pine-grassland ecosystems was collected from and () in three states in the southeastern USA. Morphological and phylogenetic characteristics of this fungus were examined. These data show that the specimens from both plant species were infected by the same fungus and represent a new species of . The new species differs morphologically from other species of by teliospores being solitary and not compacted into spore balls. Spore wall ornamentation and teliospore size also differ from other species. Phylogenetic analyses of DNA sequences of the ITS, LSU, and supported separation of the species from and from other species. Based on these results, a new species, , is proposed.