BIVERTICILLATA-SYMMETRICA 629 



from C. W. Emmons, National Institute of Health, as an unidentified 

 Penicillium; and NRRL 2112, received in 1945 from J. W. Groves, Ottawa, 

 Canada as an unidentified Penicillium isolated from alfalfa seed. 



Careful consideration of described species of Penicillium failed to reveal 

 one which adequately characterized the above strains. Raper and Fennell 

 (1948), therefore, regarded the cultures in question as representing a new 

 species, to which they applied the binomial Penicillium piceum because 

 of the striking resemblance of the typical columnar head to a compact 

 spruce-like evergreen in miniature. 



Occurrence and Significance 



Penicillium funiculosum Thom is one of the most common of all soil 

 fungi and is apparently world-wide in distribution. It has been sent to us 

 for identification by collaborators from all parts of the United States and 

 from many foreign countries. In our ovm studies it has occurred in all 

 soils examined, irrespective of their origin. The species grows upon a 

 variety of vegetation in the later stages of decay. It frequently occurs 

 upon freshly sawed or moist lumber where it may produce some discolora- 

 tion. It has been repeatedly encountered among cultures isolated from 

 deteriorating mihtary equipment submitted to us for identification. Other 

 members of the series are less abundant in nature but in the main, are 

 similarly distributed. 



Cultures of Penicillium fwiiculosum as isolated from nature are often 

 strongly pigmented. While the pigmentation of this and other species 

 of the Biverticillata-Symmetrica has not attracted the attention that one 

 might expect, it has received limited study. Ebling (1938) investigated 

 the effect of light upon pigment production in cultures gvowa. on malt agar 

 slants. Cultures were reported to become strongly pigmented in light, but 

 to become colorless with continued recultivation in darkness. The blue 

 end of the visible spectrum was found to have the greatest pigment stimu- 

 lating effect. Igarasi (1939a) studied the chemistry of the pigment. Red 

 mycelium produced upon koji extract was extracted with 2 per cent NaOH, 

 acidified to produce a reddish brown precipitate which was then extracted 

 with petroleum ether. The pigment, named funiculosin, crystallized as 

 deep red plates, melted at 218°C., and had the empirical formula CisH.oOs. 

 The same author (1939b) isolated malonic acid from the culture solution 

 when koji extract was used, and identified succinic and oxahc acids when a 

 synthetic medium containing glucose and (NH4)2S04 was employed. 



Abbott (1923, 1926), studying various soil fungi in different soil-fertihzer 

 mixtures in vitro, reported Penicillium funiculosum to render raw rock 

 phosphate more readily soluble. 



Clark and Scales (1916) investigated the enzymes produced by a cellulose 



