Allescheria boydii and Monosporium apiospermum.

In 1922 Dr. C. L. Shear (5) published in this journal a description of a fungus isolated by Boyd and Crutchfield (1) from mycetoma of the foot. He named the fungus Allescheria Boydii and described an ascocarpic as well as byssoid and coremial conidial stages of development. This pathogenic fungus apparently has not been recognized since its original isolation although the name has been used in one instance (2) to designate a fungus similar except for the lack of ascocarps. Monosporium apiospermum Sacc. 1911, on the other hand, has been isolated from numerous cases of mycetoma. It bears a close resemblance to A. Boydii, but the similarity seems to have attracted little attention. Recent observations in this laboratory demonstrate that A. Boydii is the ascocarpic form of M. apiospermum. Both fungi are etiologic agents of mycetoma of the foot, a mycosis characterized by swelling of the foot with sinus formation. The pus from a draining sinus contains small white granules composed of closely interwoven and radiating hyphae. Both fungi are gray byssoid molds, becoming olivaceous to brown with age and the formation of very numerous ovoid to egg-shaped or clavate conidia which are borne on simple or branching conidiophores. Coremia may or may not be formed. Several of the reported strains of M. apiospermum produced sterile sclerotia. In A. Boydii the corresponding structures are fertile ascocarps. The fungus has a wide geographical distribution. The first strain of M. apiospermum known from Canada was isolated by Shaw and Macgregor (4) and described in detail by Dowding (3). It was received in this laboratory in December 1936 through