Blastomyces sp. ?

[Richard Winder]

In article <3si5rf$7jq at nkosi.well.com>, peter at well.sf.ca.us 
(Peter Febbroriello) writes:
>Could it be possible that the soil Blastomyces we are finding
>constitute a new, unknown set of species?--pf

I think it's possible.  I've been differentiating the isolates I've been
finding from Histoplasma spp. by the non-tuberculate conidia (above agar
surface), 1/conidiphore, usually with a bud cell.  When I look at them, there 
seem to be differences between isolates in terms of the amount of constriction
at the bud cell and the pigmentation of the colonies.  Last July, I recovered 
Blastomyces from diseased grass at 3 sites in the Arctic tundra near the 
ocean at Tuktoyaktuk, N.T.  The year before that I got a sample from diseased 
grass near Fort Nelson, B.C.  I've seen it other places, but up until 
recently I assumed that I wasn't supposed to be seeing it, so it was recorded 
as an unkown.  I think that I may have a few very old, dry cultures kicking 
around- if they are still any good, I can try to make them available...  -RSW


  RICHARD WINDER                    Title: Research Scientist
  Canadian Forest Service           Phone: (604) 363-0773
  Victoria, B.C.                    Internet: RWINDER at A1.PFC.Forestry.CA