Fungi from Planet Pepe

The sex organs in the induced hermaphroditic flowers become sterile as a result of infection, a process known as "parasitic castration". Ovaries become sterile because they become replaced with teliospores and form "smut balls", making the ovary unable to set seed. The anthers, however, do not show outward signs of teliospore production, but are still effectively sterile because they tend to be small and immature. Consequently, both male and female reproductive organs within induced hermaphroditic flowers of buffalograss become parasitically castrated.