Surface ornamentation of ascospores inEupenicillium species
The ascospores of 21 species ofEupenicillium were examined for surface ornamentation by means of the scanning electron microscope. Two groups of species could be distinguished: one with, and another without distinct equatorial ridges. The former group was further subdivided into four types according to wall ornamentation: reticulate, ribbed, spinulose, and smooth.Surface ornamentation details may come to range among the most important features to distinguish species that are hardly discernible otherwise.
Erratum to: Four new Penicillium species isolated from the fynbos biome in South Africa, including a multigene phylogeny of section Lanata-Divaricata
A survey of the fynbos biome of South Africa resulted in the isolation and characterization of 61 distinct Penicillium species. ITS barcodes place six of these in section Lanata-Divaricata. Based on morphology and multigene phylogenies, species were identified as P. oxalicum, P. skrjabinii, and four that were previously unknown.Multigene phylogenies resolve the new species into three consistent clades. Species from these clades were compared morphologically, and the new species are described here as P. annulatum, P. curticaule, P. malacosphaerulum, and P. ortum. Penicillium annulatum (CBS 135126) characteristically produces colonies on Czapek yeast autolysate (CYA) and yeast extract sucrose (YES) agar that sporulate in annular patterns and grow faster on CYA at 37 °C than those of closely related species, except for the faster growing P. rolfsii. Penicillium curticaule (CBS 135128) most closely resembles P. raperi, but grows more restrictedly on CYA at 37 °C and produces shorter phialides. Penicillium ortum (CBS135668) grows faster on CYA at 37 °C than P. cremeogriseum, its closest relative. Penicillium malacosphaerulum (CBS 135120) produces cleisthothecia that give colonies on most media a yellowish straw color, similar to those of P. reticulisporum. However, faster growth on CYA at 37 °C distinguishes the new species from P. reticulisporum.
Occurrence of Dormant Ascospores in Soil
WARCUP1 reported that steaming was a simple selective method for isolating Ascomycetes from soil. The method used, however, gave little indication of the temperature at which most soil fungi are killed and at which Ascomycetes survive. With the development of equipment by which steam–air mixtures at various temperatures may be obtained2, it was decided to reinvestigate the heat tolerance of Ascomycetes in soil.