ASPERGILLUS NIGER GROUP 215 



origin is not known, and which may or may not have genetic connection, 

 but which do show superficial resemblances a1 least. Some of these have 

 been described as species and can be more or less readily identified. Al- 

 together, there is a considerable Lisl of names which, at one time or another, 

 have been applied to the black Aspergilli. It is now quite impossible to 

 interpret many of these descriptions, or to find out exactly what type of 

 organisms the describers had under observation. Realizing the futility 

 of attempting to separate all of these species, we have endeavored to in- 

 clude in the group key only such forms as possess well-marked character-, 

 and those which the mycologist may reasonably expect to encounter in 

 laboratory culture. 



Group Key 



I. Sterigmata in two scries. 



A. Conidia mostly less than 5m in diameter Aspergillus niger series 



1. Conidia strongly colored, rough, definitely marked with echinulae, 



tubercles or color bars. 



a. Primary sterigmata mostly under 20m in length. 



1/ Colonies with a penetrating actinomyces-like odor 



A.foetidus n. sp. <= A. aureus Xak.) 

 2.' Colonies without such odor. 



a. Colonies black or deep brown to black. 



1." Heads abundant over the entire colony 



A. awamori Xakazawa 

 2." Heads few, scattered at margins of colonies 



A. miyakrensis Xakazawa 

 b.' Colonies yellow-brown 



Occasional Isolates. See also A. wentii group. 



b. Primary sterigmata mostly 20 to 30m long 



A. niger van Tieghem series and species. 



c. Primary sterigmata mostly 40 to 60m long 



A. phcenicis (Cda.j Thorn 



d. Primary sterigmata up to 100 to 120m long 



A. pulverulentus (McAlpinej Thom 



2. Conidia with color almost suppressed or diffused, leaving smooth walls 



with colorless spinules. 



a. Conidia almost colorless, in mass very pale cimmamon 



A. niger mut. cinnamomeus n. comb. 



b. Conidia with color diffused, sometimes a trace of roughening 



A. niger mut. Schiemanni n. comb. 



B. Conidia more than 5m in diameter Aspergillus carbonarius series 



1. Primary sterigmata less than 20m in length. 



a. Conidia purplish-black, 6 to 10m in diameter 



A . atropurpureus Zimmerman 



b. Conidia brown, 5 to 7 or 8m in diameter. .A. fumaricus Wehmer 



2. Primary sterigmata 20 to 45m in length. Conidia 6 to 8m in diameter 



A.fonsecaeus n. sp. (= S.fusca Bainierj 



3. Primary sterigmata up to 100 or 120m. Conidia 5.5 to 10.5m 



A. carbonari u.s_ fBainier) Thom 



