Unidentified Streptococci from Plants

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Abstract
The unidentified streptococci from plants are catalase negative, gram positive, usually lanceolate cells occurring in pairs and short chains. More than one-half of the 505 strains investigated conform generally to the description of Streptococcus fueciurn, but many deviate in one or more of Sherman's characteristics, growth on bile-esculin agar, and acidification of milk. A few strains superficially resemble Streptococcus luctis. The strains not termed S. fueciurn-like are heterogeneous in adherence to Sherman's characteristics, growth and pigmenta- tion on tellurite and tetrazolium agars, and the heme peroxidase reaction; 35 fermentation patterns were established from the fermentations of arabinose, raffinose, melezitose, melibiose, mannitol, and sorbitol. The diversity in proper- ties indicates that the cultural reactions do not permit definitive characterization or speciation. It is suggested that the S. fueciurn-like strains have provided the ancestral pool from which the species as now described has become adapted to life within the animal host. The unidentified streptococci of plants and vegetables form a heterogeneous group which is second numerically and in frequency of distri- bution only to Leuconostoc rnesenteroides (20). Some have been described as being Streptococ-

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