BIVERTICILLATA-SYMMETRICA 663 



in addition to P. herquei. All of these species were recognized as possessing 

 essential characteristics in common with separation of P. elegans and P. ol- 

 soni based upon longer conidiophores up to 2 mm. Careful comparative 

 study of cultures maintained in our Collection under some of the above 

 names fails to shoAv consistent differences: for example, NRRL 1040 and 

 1043, long maintained as P. herquei Bainier and Sartory and P. elegans Sopp 

 respectively, now produce cultures that are identical in all measurable 

 respects. Furthermore, individual strains which typically reproduce the 

 cultural picture of P. herquei, as given by Thorn in 1930, commonly develop 

 sectors of variant growth types which can often be separated and per- 

 petuated as separate and distinct strains. Thus, from culture NRRL 1138, 

 diagnosed as typical P. herquei (fig. 166E), was obtained a much deeper 

 fioccose colony (fig. 1G6F) with very long conidiophores, and which pro- 

 duces a fragrant, ethereal odor which might approximate Sopp's "wonder- 

 ful rose oil odor" attributed to his P. lemoni. It is believed significant that 

 this variant duplicates almost exactly a strain, NRRL 1042, formerly 

 maintained as P. lemoni Sopp. 



A number of species showing a certain degree of individuality have been 

 described which are now regarded as representing hardly more than normal 

 variants within a broad interpretation of P. herquei Bainier and Sartory. 

 The species listed below are believed to have been based upon such cultures. 

 Strains have been encountered which in general satisfy the authors' descrip- 

 tion for the different species, yet fail to show characters adequate to dis- 

 tinguish them when considerable numbers of cultures are gro^\^l in parallel 

 culture and compared. 



Penicillium aureum Corda (Prachtflora, pp. 37-38, Taf. XVIII, figs. 1-3. 1839; 

 Thorn, The Penicillia, p. 469. 1930) is known only from the original description. It 

 was reported in terms which lead us to believe that it represented some large, coarse 

 member of this series characterized by golden yellow to bright yellow-green my- 

 celium. Duplication of Bainier and Sartory's P. herquei is not claimed, but we regard 

 it as probable that Corda's description was based upon a closely related form. 



Penicillium elegans Sopp (Monogr., pp. 144-145, Taf. XVI, fig. 112; Taf. XXII, 

 fig. 13. 1912; Thom, The Penicillia, p. 470. 1930) was described as deeply blue-gray 

 to yellowish green, with culture reverse in yellow-green shades; vegetative hyphae 

 were coarse and conidiophores were reported to be very long, uniform in diameter, 

 septate, coarse, and somewhat roughened; sterigmata were very numerous, short, 

 and produced elliptical conidia 3.5m to 4.0m in diameter. Occasional cultures are 

 encountered which suggest Sopp's description but type material was never dis- 

 tributed and the species cannot be identified closer than to the P. herquei series. 



Penicillium lemoni Sopp (iNIonogr., pp. 194-196; Taf. XX, fig. 152; Taf. XXIII, 

 fig. 39. 1912; Thom, The Penicillia, pp. 469-470. 1930) was described as producing 

 a network of dull green to yellow-green hyphae, with colonies yellowish to reddish 

 brown in reverse, and conidiophores coarse, rough-walled and septate; penicilli were 



