i ee cus. Ann. Botany 1'7: 167-236. pls. 12-13. 1003. 
THE MORPHOLOGY OF MONASCUS PURPUREUS.* 
EDGAR W. OLIVE. 
BARKER’S account of the morphology and development of Monas- 
cus in the early part of 1903," as will be remembered, was shortly 
afterward questioned in a contradictory paper by IKENO.? IKENO 
gave, in fact, a diametrically opposite interpretation of certain of the 
more important phenomena connected with the spore formation in 
this fungus, and even went so far as to assert positively that BARKER’S 
**Samsu” fungus did not belong to the genus Monascus. If BARKER 
is right, then Monascus shows close resemblances to other Ascomy- 
cetes; if, on the other hand, IkENo’s views are correct, the fungus 
is an aberrant form. 
The main points of difference between these opposed views may~—~ 
be concisely stated as follows. BARKER maintains that sexual repro- 
duction results in the formation of ascogenous hyphae. The ascogo- 
nium consists, according to him, of an elongated penultimate cell; 
while the original terminal cell, which is pushed over to one side by 
the growth of the enlarging ascogonium, constitutes an antheridial 
branch. Fusion takes place between the two, the elongated tip of 
the female cell functioning in this act as a kind of trichogyne. After 
fusion, this tip portion is cut off by a septum and its protoplasmic 
contents, as well as that of the antheridial branch, finally become 
disorganized and eventually disappear. It is the cut off penultimate 
cell-of the ascogonial branch, called by BARKER the “‘central cell,” 
_ which still further develops and produces the ascogenous hyphae. 
: This central cell becomes enormously swollen and is invested at 
_ maturity almost completely by a mass of closely clasping sterile 
ics: 3 atria its enlargement and development it affords protec- 
| tion and nutriment to the growing ascogenous hyphae. The latter 
| This work was done under a grant from the ——— Institution. 
t BA RKER. aay B. T. P., od gt One eee dq f th ascocarp in Monas- 
2 ee, Ss; Ueber die Sporenbi und systematische Ene von Monascus 
gs perpaens Wen ie Deutsch. Bot. Gesell 21:259-269. pl. 13. 1903. 
[JANUARY 
Pes 
