The Type Species of the Genus Nocardia

Abstract

SUMMARY: Expanded descriptions of Nocardia asteroides (Eppinger) Blanchard, based on 142 strains, and of N. brasiliensis (Lindenberg) Castellani & Chalmers, based on 62 strains, are presented and compared. Illustrations are given of the variation in morphology and appearance of the growth among strains of both species. The morphological and physiological similarity of ATCC strain no. 3318, the accepted type strain of N. farcinica Trevisan, to strains of N. asteroides is shown, and the resulting problem of nomenclature is discussed.