588 Dale.— Observations on Gymnoascaceae . 
and in Monascus by Barker l , though not in those forms which 
are most nearly related to Gymnoascus . 
The affinities of the Gymnoascaceae have gradually become 
apparent, as our knowledge of the family has increased by the 
addition of new genera and species. The investigations which 
have been recorded above seem to throw some further light 
on this interesting question. 
One of the forms most nearly allied to Gymnoascus is Cteno- 
niyces serratus. Ctenomyces serratus was first described by 
Eidam 2 , and bears a most striking resemblance to Gymnoascus 
candidus ; in fact, the description given by Eidam of the de- 
velopment of the coil and of the ascogenous hyphae and asci 
in Ctenomyces would serve equally well for G. Candidas. Eidam, 
however, did not see any cell-fusion, or any nuclei in Cteno- 
myces. The only difference between Ctenomyces and G. 
Candidas is that whereas the former (like most other species 
of Gymnoascus hitherto described) has hard, thick-walled 
hyphae round the asci, the mycelium of Gymnoascus Candidas 
consists exclusively of extremely thin and delicate hyphae. 
The resemblance between the two species extends to the 
asexual spores, but in Ctenomyces these are conidia, budded off 
laterally from the hyphae, while in G. Candidas they are oidia. 
Another closely allied species is Eidamella spinosa, a parasite 
growing on the skin of a dog. Matruchot and Dassonville 3 , 
who founded the genus, made pure cultures which produced 
asci. The original coil arises exactly as in Ctenomyces and 
in Gymnoascus Candidas from two branches, which sometimes 
grow out from one hypha, sometimes from two. But occasionally 
an anomalous case occurs, in which a single branch coils round 
the hypha from which it sprang. It is interesting to note that 
this is what Eidam observed in G. Reessii , and what he also 
records as an occasional occurrence in Ctenomyces. Eidamella 
also produces chlamydospores. This species is particularly 
1 Morphology and Development of the Ascocarp in Monascus. Ann. of Bot., 
Jan. 1903. 
2 loc. cit. (1), p. 271. 
3 (2) Eidamella spinosa , Dermatophyte produisant des peritheces. Bull, de la 
Soc. Myc. de France, tom. xvii, p. 123 (1901). 
