42 
Jean Dufrenoy. 
II .—The significance of “ massues ” in parasitic Actinomyces. 
Contrary to what we observe in the endotroph, the ordinary 
Actinomyces of “Actinomycosis” has acid-fast “massues” and 
basophilous hyphse (1). Still we consider the club-shaped swellings 
in Adenostyles albifrons to have the significance of “ massues ” 
and therefore place this endotroph in the genus Actinomyces. 
Similar swelling-forming Endotroph has been reported by Peklo 
and Arzberger from the tubers of Myrica gale , and ascribed to an 
X\ protoxylem, X2 metaxylem, w, cell wall, h, hyphse (about 2/x in 
diameter) c, “ massues ” (uncoloured by action of HN0 3 ). 
Actinomyces, without any cytological evidence being adduced to 
enforce this conclusion (2). “ Massues ” indeed may be considered 
characteristic of Actinomyces growing in their infected hosts; they 
have also been recently reported from cultures submitted to the 
action of high temperatures or of various salts. 
111.— Conclusions. 
Actinomyces may be held responsible for two cases of endotrophic 
mycorhiza. This conclusion, however, being largely speculative, 
demands for further investigation of the cases and also a precise 
definition of the genus Actinomyces (3). 
Infection of the shoot by endotrophs occurs in Compositae as 
well as in Orchidacese and Ericaceae (4, 5, 6). 
