ASYMMETRICA-FUNICULOSA 453 



Penicillium australicum Hann. (from Zach) has been listed among the species avail- 

 able from the Centraalbureau for many years. Thom, in 1936, received such a cul- 

 ture which upon careful study was found to represent a mixture of two species. One 

 represented a ramigenous monoverticillate form which approximated P. waksmani 

 Zaleski. This culture is maintained as NRRL 781 and still retains the characteristics 

 noted for it in 1936. The other represented a faster growing and coarser fungus which 

 showed a marked tendency to develop ropes or fascicles of aerial hyphae. Penicilli 

 were rebranched and asymmetrical, conidiophore walls were somewhat roughened, 

 and conidia were at first elliptical becoming subglobose in age. This strain was 

 regarded as approximating P. terrestre. Unfortunately, it has been lost from our 

 Collection. 



Recently van Beyma has reviewed (1944-1945) the whole background of the name 

 Penicillium australicum, and the possible origin of the strain sent to Baarn by Zach 

 in 1928 under the name "P. australicum (Kap Labor) Hann." Van Beyma explains 

 "Kap Labor" refers to Johah Olsen-Sopp's laboratory in Mjosen, Norway, whereas 

 "Hann" is an abbreviation of Hannover and refers to Wehmer's Laboratory. The 

 species as maintained at Baarn was thus without an author's name. Van Beyma con- 

 cluded that there could be little question that P. australicum was isolated by Olsen- 

 Sopp at the Kap Laboratory, but that he failed to publish a description. Van Beyma, 

 therefore, proposed to assign the species to Olsen-Sopp and published a detailed de- 

 scription with Latin diagnosis under the name P. australicum (Olsen-Sopp) emend, v. 

 Beyma (in Antonie v.Leeuwenhoek 10: 53-56, fig. 10. 1944-1945). 



In February 1946 two cultures were received from the Centraalbureau as Peni- 

 cillium australicum and have been included in the present study. The first of these 

 was labeled "P. australicum (Kap Lab.) Hann." listed as from Zach in 1928. The 

 second represented an isolate by Rennerfelt from wood pulp received at Baarn in 

 1940. The former culture (which may represent the type) is a comparatively slow 

 growing, slightly fasciculate form of dull blue-green color which in many respects 

 approximates P. puberulum Bainier; conidiophores are conspicuously roughened and 

 a strong moldy odor is produced on all substrata. The latter culture is less heavily 

 sporing, tends to be deeply floccose with the development of considerable ropiness, 

 conidiophores are slightly roughened on Czapek's agar and coarsely roughened on 

 malt agar. The strain is regarded as probably best assigned to the P. terrestre series, 

 although there is some evidence of fasciculation in colonies on malt agar. 



Neither of these strains exhibits characteristics sufficiently marked to demand 

 recognition of a separate species. 



In view of the conflicting information that has accumulated, it is impossible for 

 us to confidently assign or dispose of Penicillium australicum. It seems probable, 

 however, that the name is generally understood to refer to molds approximating 

 P. terrestre Jensen. 



Penicillium solitum Westling, in Arkiv for Botanik 11: 52, 65-G7, figs. 3 

 and 47. 1911. Thom, The PenicilHa, pp. 372-373. 1930. 



Colonies on Czapek's solution agar growing fairly rapidly, attaining a 

 diameter of 5.0 to 6.0 cm. in 12 to 14 days at 25°C., consisting of a tough 

 basal felt with surface growth loose, floccose-funiculose, up to 1 mm. deep, 

 more or less zonate, especially in marginal areas (fig. 117E); growing 

 margin broad, whitish and usually showing definite ropiness, but in old 



