Entyloma ageratinae

Entyloma ageratinae, commonly known as the mist flower smut, is a species of leaf smut fungus. As a plant pathogen, it is widely employed as a biological herbicide in the control of Ageratina riparia, an ornamental plant which is native to Mexico, but now invasive in a variety of tropical climates. The fungus was given its current scientific name and classified within the genus Entyloma in 1988. E. ageratinae grows exclusively on A. riparia plants in the wild, though specimens of Ageratina adenophora have contracted the fungus in laboratory trials. On A. riparia, the fungus forms lesions on the plant's leaves, causing them to die prematurely and stunting the growth of the plant. The fungus has a short life cycle and forms spores on the underside of leaves within 10 days of infecting the plant. Its spores spread most quickly in damp, windy environments. The fungus was first collected by scientists searching for a naturally occurring control agent of A. riparia in Jamaica in 1974. Specim......read more on Wikipedia.