Puccinia Monoica - Taxonomy and Life Cycle Variation

Taxonomy and Life Cycle Variation

Researchers have noted that Puccinia monoica is one species of a complex of closely related species, which show considerable variation with regard to hosts and life cycle. Puccinia monoica has a life cycle involving two alternate hosts (a mustard and a grass), whereas others species may not. The Puccinia monoica life cycle is macrocyclic, including the production of basidia, telia, spermatia, aecia, and uredia. In contrast Puccinia thlaspeos also produces pseudoflowers, but has no aecia or uredia phase, completing its entire life cycle on Arabis.