Autoecious species of Puccinia on Cichorieae in North America

Seventeen autoecious species of Puccinia occurring on Cichorieae (Asteraceae) in North America were studied. The taxa removed from those usually treated synonymously with P. hieracii include: P. troximontis Pk. and P. hypochaeridis Oud., which are segregated because of their completely echinulate urediniospores. Puccinia agoseridis sp.nov. is also segregated from the same complex because of difference in teliospore wall sculpturing. Both varieties of P. harknessii stand apart from P. hieracii by their more conspicuous teliospore warting. Puccinia harknessii var. harknessii attacks Lygodesmia while P. harknessii var. stephanomeriae comb.nov. occurs on Stephanomeria. Puccinia chondrillina is separated from P. hieracii by its smaller urediniospore tonsures and P. lapsanae possesses tonsures which are absent in P. variabilis. Such morphological differences become more evident with the use of scanning electron microscope examination to support observations with the light microscope.