Buchanan: Monascus purpureus in Silage 101 



thecia near the center of the colony. However, aerial hyphae 

 are usually produced, forming a cottony surface growth not more 

 than a millimeter in height. Within a few days, the colony, 

 particularly near the center, becomes tinged with red and in two 



Fig. I. Colonies of Monascus purpureus two weeks old in silage agar. 



or three weeks is a deep carmine. This coloring gradually ex- 

 tends throughout the colony, always being deepest near the 

 center. 



Silage broth. A decoction of silage was prepared as outlined 

 in the preceding paragraph, and used without further additions 

 in 50 c.c. lots. The organism grows rather slowly in this medium, 

 forming spherical cottony masses of hyphae not easily broken up 

 by shaking. In one to two weeks the hyphae reached the sur- 

 face of the medium (a distance of about 2 cm.) and two weeks 

 later the surface growth attained a diameter of from 1-4 cm. 

 This surface growth develops large numbers of aerial hyphae, 

 not extending more than one millimeter above the surface. There 



