608 A MANUAL OF THE PENICILLIA 



identity of cultures referred to in the literature under this name. We can 

 be reasonably certain, however, that reference is made to some member of 

 the Biverticillata-Symmetrica section. 



"Penicillium luteum" is commonly cited as a constituent of mold popula- 

 tions implicated in deterioration processes. Ruschmann and Bartram 

 (1940) reported P. luleimi to be one of several molds causing a spoilage of 

 flax fibres and hnen yarn in Germany. Ciferri (1931) reported the species 

 to be fairly common on dry fermented and unfermented cacao beans in the 

 Dominican Republic. Plank (1929) reported a fungus belonging to the 

 P. luteimi group to occur in the larvae of the sugar cane stalkborer in Cuba, 

 but obtained no evidence that it might be used for control of the insect. 

 Thom and Humfeld (1932) reported non-ascosporic strains of P. luteum 

 to represent the most abundant soil fungi associated with maize roots in 

 alkaline soils. Thom and Morrow (1937) reported similar forms to be 

 capable of decomposing organic soil residues, commonly referred to as 

 "humus", in vitro. 



Lipman (1937) reported Penicillium luteum to grow normally after a 48 

 hour exposure to liquid air temperatures. 



Niethammer (1940) reported auxins extracted from the mycelium of 

 Penicillium luteum to cause a breaking of dormancy when applied to the 

 buds of Syringa vulgaris. 



Penicillium striatum was found to be associated with the spoilage of 

 canned blueberries by Williams, Cameron, and Wilhams (1941). The 

 fruit had been heated to 200°F. to kill yeasts, molds, and non-sporulating, 

 acid-tolerant bacteria. The mold occurred in enamel lined cans showing 

 a vacuum of 12 to 15 inches, but growth was not observed in plain metal 

 cans, apparently due to the rapid removal of oxygen by the exposed metal 

 surfaces. The strain upon which the species was based was unusually heat 

 resistant and capable of growing as a facultative anaerobe. The species is 

 believed to represent a normal constituent of highly acid peat soils. 



A number of biochemical studies have been based upon members of the 

 Penicillium luteum series. Raistrick and Rintoul (1931), investigating the 

 metabolic products of a culture received from the Centraalbureau as P. lu- 

 teum Zukal (non-ascosporic strain), reported the production from glucose 

 of a mucilagenous, laevorotatory material which they termed luteic acid. 

 Upon mild alkaline hydrolysis luteic acid gave rise to a neutral laevorota- 

 tory polysaccharide designated luteose. Upon acid hydrolysis, this in 

 turn gave glucose as the sole product of hydrolysis. Investigating the 

 culture further, Birkinshaw and Raistrick (1933) found that it could elab- 

 orate luteic acid from fructose, galactose, mannose, xylose, arabinose, and 

 glycerol as well as from glucose. Upon acid hydrolysis luteic acid gave as 

 products malonic acid and glucose. This was considered as proof of the 



