1921] _ SPENCER—BRAZIL NUTS 287 
“species strongly proteolytic; gelatin liquefied rapidly, milk 
clotted and peptonized rapidly.” No species given in this division 
and section, however, has the characteristics of the one found in 
Brazil nut shells. It is therefore given the name of Actinomyces 
brasiliensis. 
Actinomyces brasiliensis, n. sp.—Straight, branched hyphae 
1.0-1.3 win diameter; spores borne in chains in free ends of hyphae, 
oblong, 1.6 X0.8 w; growth Pale Pinkish Buff on all agars except 
calcium malate-glycerin, on which it is white; zonated on glucose, 
cornmeal, and egg albumin agars; aerial mycelium on al! media, 
white to Pale Pinkish Buff; no soluble pigment formed. 
Hapirat.—Parasitic on kernels of Brazil nuts. 
7. PHOMOPSIS DECAY 
GENERAL DESCRIPTION.—Only one nut was found affected 
with Phomopsis decay, but because of its striking diagnostic 
features the fungus was isolated and studied. There was no 
external indication of the diseased condition, but the kernel of the 
nut was rich brown, with a few black specks near one end. The 
odor of the nut was pleasant and the taste agreeable. Stained 
hand sections showed that the mycelium of the fungus had pene- 
trated into the radicle to considerable depth. 
MorpPHotocy.—The mycelium was tenuous, septate, and at 
first hyaline, but soon became brown or smoke colored. According 
to DiEpDIcKE (8), the form of the pycnidia is greatly varied. In the 
Brazil nut species several of the forms pictured by DrepIcKE were 
observed, but the one most commonly met with was mammiform, 
with a wartlike protuberance. The irregular pycnidial cavity so 
common to the genus was frequently observed, but a regular 
Cavity was the rule. Two forms of spores were present in all 
pycnidia examined (fig. 50), and as is customary, the Phoma type 
will be designated as A, the filamentous as B spores. The B 
form did not germinate in hanging drop, a fact supporting the 
Statement made by Grove (10) that these may or may not be 
spores. When they fail to germinate they are probably what 
SACCARDO (25) took them to be, conidiophores, which according 
to Grove ‘‘become more curved than when in situ.” The A 
