Anthracocystis heteropogonicola

Anthracocystis heteropogonicola is a smut fungus that has both an anamorphic asexual yeast form, and a teleomorphic sexual form. It is one of many fungi within the class ustilaginomycetes that is dimorphic. The anamorphic yeast haplophase is saprobic, living on dead matter. During the dikaryophase, A. heteropogonicola functions as a plant pathogen. Its epitet comes from its pathogenic association with Heteropogon contortus, a tropical, perennial grass with wide distribution in the tropics and subtropics. The yeast...