DESCRIPTIONS OF MEDICAL FUNGI

Descriptions of Medical Fungi 105
The genus Graphium is characterised by the formation of synnemata which consist
of a more or less compact group of erect conidiophores that are cemented together,
usually splaying out and bearing conidia at the apex. Graphium species are commonly
found on woody plant material. Graphium basitruncatum has been reported as causing
fungaemia in an immunosuppressed child post stem-cell transplantation (El Feghaly
et al. 2012).
Note: Many other fungi such as Scedosporium species may also produce synnemata.
RG-1 organism.
Graphium Corda
Morphological Description: Synnemata are darkly pigmented, erect and occur
solitarily or in clusters. Conidia are hyaline, one-celled, smooth, subglobose to ovoid
and are usually aggregated in slimy heads at the apex of the synnemata. Colonies are
effuse, grey, olivaceous brown or black.
Molecular diagnostics: The genus is phylogenetically close to Scedosporium but ITS
sequencing can be used to resolve all species (Okada et al. 2000, Lackner and de
Hoog 2011).
Key Features: Dematiaceous hyphomycete producing erect synnemata with apical
aggregates of single-celled conidia in slimy heads.
References: Barron (1968), Ellis (1971), McGinnis (1980), de Hoog et al. (2000, 2015).
20 µm
Graphium spp. synnemata and conidia.