Eleven species of Hordeum were tested for their reaction to Ustilago nuda (Jens.) Rostr. and U. tritici (Pers.) Rostr., the causes of the embryo-infecting loose smuts of cultivated barley and wheat, respectively. The species Hordeum chilense and H. depressum were resistant, while H. euclaston, H. halophilum, H. procerum, H. pusillum, and H. stenostachys were susceptible to both fungi. Hordeum muticum was susceptible only to U. nuda, while H. arizonicum, H. lechleri, and H. roshevitzii were susceptible only to U. tritici. The susceptible species are new hosts for these pathogens. It is proposed that these results, together with those of an earlier study, indicate that U. nuda evolved from U. tritici.