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Covered Smut of Barley
The type species of Ustilago and the cause of covered smut of barley. Infected plants look normal until heading, when the kernels are replaced by hard, compact masses of dark brown, oily spores that stay enclosed in a membrane until harvest. It occurs worldwide wherever barley is grown.
Not edible. A cereal pathogen with no food use; smutted grain is a crop loss.
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Mycology is an evolving science: names, classifications and safety information change as research advances. Entries are compiled from cited sources and reviewed, but may be incomplete or out of date — check the sources, and never rely on this library alone to identify or eat a mushroom.
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