ASYMMETRICA-FASCICULATA 481 



Occurrence and Significance 



Members of the present series appear to be comparatively rare in nature. 

 Penicillium ochraceum has been infrequently isolated from grain, decaying 

 vegetation, and soil. Penicillium carneo-lutescens is known only from the 

 type source, dried Kentish hops. Whereas proof of such origin is lacking, 

 both species may possibly represent color mutations from other more 

 common species. 



No biochemical or physiological study of either species is known to us. 



Penicillium viridicatum Series 

 Outstanding Characters 



Colonies are typically bright yellow-green to dark yellow-green in color, 

 commonly approximating "prasinus" or "viridis" of Saccardo's Chromo- 

 taxia, hence the name. Bluish shades are generally transient or lacking 

 altogether. Colonies often become light brown in age, or in other strains 

 may remain persistently green upon most media. 



Conidiophores may be sufficiently aggregated into clusters, or fascicles, 

 to give the colony surface a definitely tufted appearance; or they may 

 occur as a mixed stand of simple and clustered conidiophores to produce 

 a granular effect; or in other strains they may be mostly single to pro- 

 duce an essentially velvety effect with little or no outward evidence of a 

 fasciculate relationship; they are usuall}^ rough-walled. 



Penicilli are comparatively large and usually consist of one or two branches 

 in addition to the main axis, with each major element bearing succes- 

 sively verticils of metulae and sterigmata. 



All produce a strong, penetrating, moldy or earthy odor. 



Series Key 



a. Colonies typically in bright yellow-green to dark yellow-green shades; conidio- 

 phores usually rough-walled P. viridicatum series 



1'. Conidial areas showing bright yellow-green shades, at least when young. 



aa. Colonies remaining bright yellow-green in age or tardily becoming light 



brown; odor pronounced F. viridicatum Westling 



bb. Colonies at first bright yellow-green but quickly becoming dull and often 

 showing vinaceous shades in older areas; odor very strong. 



P. olivinu-viride Biourge 

 2'. Conidial areas quickly developing dark yellow-green shades. 



P. palitans Westling 



Members of this series are less common than members of the Penicillium 

 cyclopium and P. expansimi series, yet are not infrequently encountered 

 among cultures submitted for diagnosis, or among strains newly isolated 

 from natural substrata. They occur frequently upon decaying vegeta- 

 tion in contact with the soil. Occasional strains assignable here cause a 



