ASYMMETRICA-FASCICULATA 499 



Thorn in The PeniciUia (1930, p. 272), this latter number represented the 

 culture studied by Alsberg and Black. The two subcultures remain 

 identical. 



A third culture, NRRL 845, stemming from the same original source, 

 was received by us in 1935 from George Smith as No. Ad 31, and at that 

 time duplicated the typical cultural picture. Some variation has taken 

 place during the ensuing years, and today NRRL 845 when grown on 

 Czapek agar produces colonies that are somewhat looser in texture, and 

 generally lighter sporing than is typical of the species. On steep agar the 

 degree of variation is even more pronounced and colonies commonly show 

 abundant vegetative mycelium in shades near pale vinaceous fawn (Ridg- 

 way, PI. XL) to Venetian pink (R., PI. XIII) with conidial areas ranging 

 through gnaphalium green or pea green to dark olive gray (R., PL XLVII) 

 in age. The penicilli, although often somewhat irregular in form, may be 

 regarded as representative of the species as described above. In cultural 

 appearance strain NRRL 845, as it exists today, suggests Penicillium 

 commune Thom (NRRL 890) in the Lanata section. 



The proper taxonomic position of Penicillium puberulum remains in 

 doubt. Thom (1930) placed it in his Asymmetrica-Velutina section, and 

 based this placement upon the production of colonies that were essentially 

 velvety. This character remains unaltered, except for the development 

 of limited fasciculate structures in older colonies. The species shows 

 additional evidence of relationship to the P. cyclopium series, since penicilli 

 are commonly branched, conidiophore walls are roughened, and a strong 

 moldy odor characteristic of many members of the P. cyclopium series is 

 regularly produced. Furthermore, the production of penicillic acid by 

 P. cyclopium Westling (Birkinshaw, Oxford, and Raistrick, 1931) as well 

 as P. puberulum^ from which it was first identified (Alsberg and Black, 

 1913), may indicate a relationship to the Fasciculata. While the pro- 

 duction of similar or related metabolic products must not be accepted as 

 proof of relationship per se, it often provides useful clues to such rela- 

 tionship. 



Penicillium majusculum Westling (Arkiv for Botanik 11: 51-52, 60-62, figs. 1 and 

 45. 1911) is believed to represent a synonym of P. puberulum Bainier. Review of 

 Thorn's notes (1930, pp. 389-390) made on a culture received from Westling as his type 

 fails to reveal either cultural or microscopical differences which would warrant sepa- 

 ration of the two species. Examination of this culture, NRRL 954, and a culture 

 from Biourge, NRRL 955, bearing this same name (presumably derived from West- 

 ling's type through Thom), shows the two to be identical and to agree very closely 

 in cultural aspect and in structural detail with NRRL 1889 and 2040. The name P. 

 puberulum Bainier is retained because the culture received from Westling under the 

 name P. majusculum never agreed very closely with his original description (see 

 Thom, 1930, p. 390), and because a considerable mass of biochemical literature has 

 been built up around the use of the name P. puberulum Bainier. 



