328 MORPHOLOGY OF THE ASPERGILLACE^]. 



Recently, Yuillemin and MIRSKY (1.) described A. versicolor 

 (Sterigmatocijstis v.), and GUEGUEN (III.) an A syncephalis. The 

 former is of interest, owing to the variable colour of its cultures, 

 and has latterly been repeatedly investigated by MIRSKY (I.), 

 VUILLEMIN (II.), FRIEDEL (II.) and by COUPIN and FRIEDEL (I.). 

 The conidiophores are similar to those of A. niger, but the optimum 

 temperature of growth is much lower, and no development takes 

 place at all at 37-39 0. The mycelium is a rusty brown, and 

 no perithecia or sclerotia are formed. The red pigment, which is 

 soluble in alcohol, is developed in the green cultures exclusively. 

 The fungus also appears in a reddish form (with pink conidia), 

 which, however, reverts to green sooner or later. No morpho- 

 logical details seem to have been published in connection with this 

 species. 



The following are probably synonyms, or at all events un- 

 recognisable, owing to imperfect description, though they have 

 found a place in the more recent literature : A. luteus (v. Tiegh.) ; 

 A.favescens, Wred. (same as A.flavus, Link), A . nigricans, Wred. 

 (also Cooke) ; A. nigrescens, Rob. (both probably A. niger); 

 A. terricola, March, (probably A. flavus?); A. griseus, Link, 

 (A. fumigatus ? ) ', Eurotium malignum, Lindt (probably A. 

 fumigatus, Fres. ? ) ; A. quinince, Heim ; and A. subfuscus, Johan- 

 Olsen (A . flavus ? ). In any case, the only way to justify these 

 names is by describing the fungi in such a manner as to admit of 

 their identification ; otherwise the reader is left in doubt. Even 

 the scientific literature does not, unfortunately, always give the 

 correct names ; GREEN (I.), for example, referring to the well- 

 known Aspergillus oryzce as "Eurotium oryzce" 



286. The Genus Penieillium. 



The Penieillium group, which, though less important, both 

 scientifically and practically, than Aspergillus, possesses consider- 

 able interest on account of its characteristic conidiophores, com- 

 prises a number of species which are more or less analogous, and 

 are chiefly met with in practice as producing mould on vegetables, 

 inhabiting cheese, or acting as putrefactive fungi. 



The microscopically small and delicate conidiophore, which is 

 morphologically on a far lower stage of development than that of 

 Aspergillus, differs from an ordinary vegetative hypha solely in 

 the method of branching and the fairly upright growth, being 

 inappreciably thicker, and just as thin-skinned and septate as the 

 latter. The slender sterigmata, which are developed successively 

 in whorls or tufts, occupy the undistended ends of main and lateral 

 branchings, which grow to an almost uniform height and are 

 mostly upright. The lateral branches are usually two to four in 

 number, sometimes alternate and sometimes in whorls, a con- 

 siderable amount of variation being, however, observed in the 



