Puccinia monoica Arthur
Mycologia 4(2): 61. 1912.

Photo: On Arabis (rock cress)

Common Name: none

• Description

  For description see Arthur.

• Habitat

  On various species in the Brassicaceous genus Arabis.

• Comments

  Puccinia monoica is a rust fungus that inhibits flowering in its host plant, Arabis. The fungus causes the plant to produce pseudoflowers, which attract insects that spread the rust spores. These pseudoflowers attract insects not only by visual means, but also by producing a pungent fragrance and exuding a suger rich solution.

• References

  Arthur, J.C. (1912). Cultures of Uredineae in 1911. Mycologia 4(2): 49-65. (Protologue)
  Arthur, J.C. (1934). Manual of the Rust of the United States and Canada. Purdue Research Foundation: Lafayette, IN. 438 p.
  Raguso, R.A. & Roy, B.A. (1998). 'Floral' scent production by Puccinia rust fungi that mimic flowers. Molecular Ecology 7(9): 1127-1136.
  Roy, B.A., Vogler, D.R., Bruns, T.D. & Szaro, T.M. (1998). Cryptic Species in the Puccinia monoica Complex. Mycologia 90(5): 846-853.

• Other Descriptions and Photos
  Main Photo
  • Michael Wood: Puccinia monoica (CP) — Closeup
  • Michael Wood: Puccinia monoica (CP) — Closeup of leaf (about 3mm long)
  • Michael Wood: Puccinia monoica (CP) — REAL closeup
  • Michael Wood: Puccinia monoica (CP) — Closeup with millimeter scale
  • Michael Wood: Puccinia monoica (CP)
  • Conservation & Restoration: Fake flowers (D & CP)
  • Wikipedia: Puccinia monoica (D)
  
  

  (D=Description; I=Illustration; P=Photo; CP=Color Photo)