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On the basis of a comparison of type specimens and morphological, cultural, and pathologic studies of a series of fresh collections, Helminthosporium sativum P. K. & B., H. acrothecioides Lindfors, and H. californicum Mackie & Paxton are placed in synonomy with H. sorokinianum Sacc. ex Sorokin. H. sorokinianum is characterized by broad, straight, ellipsoid to fusoid, thick-walled, dark olivaceous brown conidia. Extreme types found in the field assume these common characteristics in culture. They are considered growth forms. H. sorokinianum is a variable species, comprising a number of strains differing in degree of pathogenicity on various cereals and grasses. Helminthosporium victoriae Meehan & Murphy and H. setariae Saw. (synonym H. setariae Lind) differ from H. sorokinianum in their narrower, more frequently curved, thinner-walled, paler-colored conidia. H. victoriae and H. setariae are morphologically alike but are tentatively separated on the basis of pathogenicity, H. victoriae including strains causing Victoria blight of oats, H. setariae those infecting Setaria spp. but not oats. H. victoriae and H. setariae are more closely related to species in the H. oryzaesacchari complex than to H. sorokinianum.

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