THIELAVIOPSIS PARADOXA. 515 



Massee states (6) that the mieroconidiophore when mature is 

 pale gray, sparingly septate, and from 150 to 220 ^ in length ; 

 it is swollen to a breadth of 12 to 16 ^ji, at a short distance from 

 the base, and gradually tapers to the apex, where it is about 

 6 ^ in diameter. The conidia were developed in a chain at 

 the ruptured apex of the conidiophore " in a manner precisely 

 similar to the macroconidia " : they were elliptic-oblong with 

 truncate ends, of a clear pale reddish-brown in colour at 

 maturity, and measured on an average 10-11 X 6 jx. The 

 number of conidia in a chain rarely exceeded ten, and the 

 terminal conidium was of the same shape as the rest, not 

 spherical as in the case of the macroconidia. 



The macroconidia were produced on short lateral branches. 

 The top of the branch swelled out until it was about twice 

 theTiiameter of the hypha, its apex was dissolved, and some 

 of the protoplasm extruded. This mass of protoplasm then 

 acquired a cell wall. Succeeding conidia were formed in the 

 same way until a chain of fifty or more was produced. The 

 wall of a conidium was at first colourless ; in about twelve 

 hours it had become tinged with clear olive-green ; in twenty- 

 four hours it was sooty-brown ; and finally opaque blackish- 

 brown. The terminal conidium was always spherical, and 

 measured 24-26 jx in diameter, but the remainder were 

 barrel-shaped, with truncate ends, and measured 18-20 X 

 12 {i,. 



It is difficult to harmonize these observations with those 

 of other observers. The microconidia are produced in long 

 tapering tubes, and the macroconidia on short lateral branches ; 

 but eighty or more microconidia may be produced from one 

 conidiophore, while the chain of macroconidia usually does 

 not contain more than ten. The microconidia are at first 

 almost exactly rectangular in outline, and they are formed 

 tvithin the tube ; they usually remain colourless for so long 

 a period that many investigators have described them as 

 permanently colourless. The macroconidia, on the other hand, 

 are formed by the extrusion of protoplasm, and therefore 

 assume a spherical or elliptical shape : and they rapidly 

 become almost black. The apparently swollen apex of the 

 macroconidiophore is the fii'st extruded mass of protoplasm. 



