Some Taxonomic Notes on the Higher Fungi

This yeast was found by the author on May 30, 1945, at Beltsville, Maryland, in the sap of Betula nigra L., which was exuding from a wound high up on the tree and falling onto leaves lying on the ground. This appears to be the second report of the genus Nadsonia outside Europe. The yeast grew in the form of conspicuous white or cream-colored patches, which were foamy in appearance. Other fungi were mixed with the yeast, but the latter was the predominant species. The writer's identification of the organism was confirmed by Dr. J. N. Couch, who (1944) redescribed the fungus and gave its history. His is apparently the first report of Nadsonia in this country. Couch found the yeast at Chapel Hill, North Carolina, growing in great abundance in the slime flux of recently cut birch trees. The Maryland collection was obtained in pure culture on corn meal agar, on which it grew well in the form of smooth, creamy white colonies, and sporulated abundantly within a few days. Microscopic observation revealed the presence of budding vegetative cells (FIG. 1: nos. 1 & 2) mixed with numerous cells in the process of ascospore formation (FIG. 1: nos. 3-13). As previously described, ascospore formation is commonly preceded by the production of a