PollyMapSmut spores mold spore photographed through the microscope in the PollyKit lab.
About smut spores
Small, dark, thick-walled spores from smut fungi that infect grasses and grain.
Where it grows
- Infected corn, wheat and other cereals
- Wild and pasture grasses
- Stored grain and dust from harvest
How to recognize it
Small round to oval spore with a dark, evenly granular or minutely warty thick wall and no internal divisions or pores.
Typical published size: 5–15 µm
Commonly confused with
- Grass pollen — larger with a ringed pore
- Rust spores — larger, often spiny
- Nettle pollen — has pores
Allergy relevance
Mild to moderate allergen; most important for farm and grain workers and during harvest, when concentrations spike.
Where it's found
Worldwide in agricultural and grassland regions.
Also searched as: smut spore, ustilago spore, smut spores under microscope, cereal smut.
Related mold specimens
Citing this specimen: PollyMap Specimen Library. “Smut spores — verified microscope specimen.” pollymap.com/library/specimen/smut-spores-mold-spore-0d1ae0
Expert discussion
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