THIELAVTOPSIS TARADOXA. 541 



This odoiir is seldom noticeable when the stems of diseased 

 coconut trees are cut open, tliough I have observed it on two 

 or three occasions. If, however, the spores are sown on coconut 

 stem tissue in a damp chamlier, tlie odour is well marked on 

 the second day ; on tlie third day the culture smells rather of 

 apples ; and on the fourth and subsequent days no distinctive 

 odour is perceptible. When Thielamo'psis is grown on sugar- 

 agar, the smell similarly disappears in a few daj'S, but it 

 persists in flask cultures for a week or more. 



According to Went (8), this odour is due to the production 

 of ethyl acetate (ethyl acetic ester), and its disappearance is 

 regarded as evidence tliat this substance is consumed by the 

 fungus. The etlijd ester wliicli has a pineapple odour is, 

 however, according to Riehtei". ethyl butyric ester (Richter 

 Ed. 6). 



Growth on Coconut Tissue. 



Experiments were made to determine to what extent 

 Thielamopsis would grow on the different tissues of the coconut. 

 The pieces were not sterilized, but were cut from healthy 

 tissues, trimmed with a sterilized knife, enclosed in sterilized 

 dishes, and moistened with sterilized water. 



(a) Pieces cut from a fresh green husk : spores sown on the 



inner white tissue. No growth in two days. Poor 

 growth, with macroconidia and the '' Siysamis'" 

 form in five days. 



(b) Brown husk from a stored nut, brown internally ; spores 



sown on inner brown tissue. No growth in fourteen 

 days, 

 (f ) Fresh green leaf stalk cut from the tree ; section cut near 

 the base ; spores sown on the internal white tissue. 

 No growth in two days. Very slight growth, with 

 macroconidia, in five days. 



(d) Leaf stalk taken immediately the leaf had fallen ; tissue 



brown internally, but not decayed and fibrous ; 

 spores sown on internal brown tissue. No growth 

 in fourteen days. 



(e) Section of the bud through the develoj)ing leaves ; spores 



sown on the cut surface. No growth in seven days. 

 6(11)10 (70) 



