Buchanan: Monascus purpureus in Silage 105 



nearly mature, with the ascospores grouped within the asci. The 

 walls of the latter soon disintegrate and the ripe perithecium 

 filled with loose spores resembles the sporangium of a phycomy- 

 cete. These perithecia vary from 25 to 50 />t in diameter. They 

 are usually terminal at the end of a long hypha, but in some media 

 there may be noted variations in the length of this pedicel. The 

 spores within the perithecium number from 6 or 8 to several 

 hundred. They are nearly spherical in shape and from 3.5 to 6/* 

 in diameter. They are usually tinged with brown or are slightly 

 fuscous when mature. 



Specific Position of Silage Monascus 

 There have been described in literature five species of Mon- 

 ascus. M. heterosporus Schroter (Physomyces heterosporus 

 Harz) differs from the form in question in having two types of 

 conidia, having smaller conidia, and developing in much more 

 concentrated solutions of glycerin. M. ruber van Tieghem 

 differs in having larger conidia and spores and a red perithecium. 

 M. mucoroides van Tieghem has larger perithecia, spores and 

 conidia. M. purpureus Went agrees in all essential characters, 

 and this organism is placed here tentatively. M. purpureus is 

 the characteristic mold used by the peoples of eastern Asia in the 

 preparation of "red rice" (Ang-quac). The fact that rice 

 covered with this mold is used by the Chinese as food rather 

 militates against the possibility of the form in silage being poison- 

 ous. This has not, as before stated, been investigated as yet, and 

 further study may cause a change of view as to its specific 

 position. 



Summary 



A mold answering to the description of M. purpureus Went 

 was found to be the typical fungus present in a moldy silage which 

 killed eleven horses. The pathogenic properties of the organism 

 have not as yet been wholly determined. This appears to be the 

 first record of the occurrence of Monascus in this country. 



