XVI International Botanical Congess

The species concept in parasitic groups of fungi is often based on the host. For the genera Ustilago, Microbotryum and Exobasidium we tested this concept on the basis of DNA fingerprinting. Supported by other characters our results show that there are good examples for all three possible choices: (1) smuts known to parasitize only on one host species, (2) several smut species living on the same host, and (3) smuts living on various host species. We discuss the species concept in this group of parasites.