1921] SPENCER—BRAZIL NUTS 281 
sionally four or five conidia are connected in this way (fig. 47), 
resulting, as.is clearly shown by drop cultures, from germination 
succeeded by anastomosis (fig. 48). In all cultures the dense 
mycelium collects and retains water enough to germinate the 1- and 
2-celled spores, and their germ tubes anastomose readily with the 
first cells, conidial or hyphal, with which they come in contact. 
It is often difficult to distinguish between conidiophores bearing 
conidia and conidia anastomosed to hyphal cells with a short germ 
tube (fig. 44). 
Taxonomy.—The fungus is a species of Fusarium which, 
according to WOLLENWEBER’S (34) scheme of classification, belongs 
to the section Eupionnotes: chlamydospores present; perithecia 
unknown; conidia subcylindrical, sickle-shaped; base without 
pedicel, conical; terminal chlamydospores. 
4. ASPERGILLUS DECAY 
GENERAL DESCRIPTION.—Brazil nuts attacked by Aspergillus 
may give no external indication of their internal condition except 
in the most advanced stages of the disease, when the weight of the 
nut is appreciably lowered. The kernel shrinks, often cracks 
open, and is always covered with a mass of dark brown spores. 
The odor of the diseased nut is strongly rancid with a putrid taint; 
the taste is at first sour, later very bitter. Occasionally nuts that 
are merely discolored have this same taste. Kuunt (13) states that 
Brazil nuts affected with Aspergillus flavus Mont. are poisonous, 
and that the discoloration caused by this fungus is so slight that it 
does not prevent their being eaten. Both his observations and my 
own indicate that the disease, although present, may often escape 
notice, and that it is really far more prevalent than it appears to 
be under superficial examination. Nuts in advanced stages of the 
disease, however, occur less frequently than black crust. The 
mycelium of the fungus penetrates the tissues to the center of the 
nut, and when there is a central locule, appears as a white mold on 
the walls of the locule. When the diseased kernels crack open, a 
mass of spores fills the locular space. 
Morpuotocy.—The mycelium consists of irregularly branched 
hyphae which are slightly constricted at the septa (fig. 31). The 
cells are 20-65 X 3.5-11 m, with granular contents of a faint greenish 
