284 FAMILY OF SACCHAROMYCETACEAE 



WILLIA ANOMALA. Hansen 

 Syn.: SACCHAROMYCES ANOMALOUS. Hansen 



This species was isolated by Hansen l from an impure brewery 

 yeast which came from Bavaria. The cells of this yeast resemble 

 those of Torula discovered by Hansen. They are small cells, gen- 

 erally oval, often sausage shaped. In the beginning of fermentation, 

 this yeast forms a dull gray scum which resembles very much that of 

 Monilia Candida. Among the cells in the scum are found many air 

 bubbles. The temperature limits for budding on beer wort are 

 0.5-1 C. and 37-38 C. At these limits of temperature no scum is 

 formed. The yeast, then, develops as a sediment. 



Ascospores appear very easily at the end of a short time, as well 

 in the scum as in the cells in the deposit. They are formed easily 

 in most solid media in most favorable conditions of nutri- 

 tion. The temperature limits for sporulation on plaster 

 blocks are, according to Nielsen, 32-34 C. and 2.5-7.5 

 C. The optimum is at 30 C. At this temperature the 

 ascospores begin to form in 17-18 hours. 



The number of ascospores varies from 2 to 4 in each 

 asc. They may be located in the asc in a diversified 

 manner. Their diameter is about 2 to 3/z. They pos- 

 sess a characteristic shape absolutely analogous to those 

 of Endomyces decipiens, Endomyces fibuliger and Ascoidea 

 Fig. 133. rubescens. They are hemispherical and shaped like a 



^ S anoS hat - ( Fi g- 133 -) The wal1 of the asc is broken easily. 



(after Han- Germination of the ascospores is brought about in the 

 following manner. The ascospore swells up during which 

 the projecting collar may persist or disappear completely. The asco- 

 spore produces, at different points on its surface, buds which multiply 

 in their turn by budding. (Fig. 38.) This yeast ferments beer wort 

 rapidly. During the fermentation the liquid is stirred up becoming 

 opalescent, and gives off a fruity odor. This species ferments dex- 

 trose but not saccharose or maltose. Willia anomala has been found 

 by Klocker and Schionning, Kozai and Saito in "koji " employed in 

 the preparation of awamori, an alcoholic drink on the island of Luchu. 



BIOLOGICAL VARIETIES OF WILLIA ANOMALA 



Since the discovery of this species, numerous varieties of the type 

 anomalous have been observed all of which have special characteris- 



1 Hansen, E. C. Recherches sur la physiologic et morphologie des alcooliques 

 ferments. VIII. Sur la germination des spores chez les saccharomyces. Comp. 

 Rend, du lab. de Carlsberg 3, 1891; 5, 1902. 



