Fungalpedia – Note 3052, Penicillium
Penicillium Link.
Citation when using this data: Senanayake IC et al. 2023 – Fungalpedia.
Index Fungorum, Faceoffungi, MycoBank, GenBank, Fig 1.
Classification: Aspergillaceae, Eurotiales, Eurotiomycetidae, Eurotiomycetes, Pezizomycotina, Ascomycota, Dikarya, Fungi.
The generic name Penicillium was introduced by Link (1809) and designated P. expansum as the type species. Conventional morphology-based identification positioned this genus in Trichocomaceae (Pitt and Samson 1993). Houbraken and Samson (2011) segregated Trichocomaceae and placed Penicillium in Aspergillaceae along with its sister genus Aspergillus. Although, the well-defined key characteristics were noted in Penicillium. However, species circumscription is problematic due to outdated keys, and valid species list and the absence of a verified complete sequence database. Furthermore, Visagie et al. (2016) redefined the circumscription of Penicillium following a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Strict protocols were established for media, incubation conditions, macro and micromorphology and genes for identification and phylogeny. Recently, the classification of Penicillium was redefined by Houbraken et al. (2020). They segregated the genus into two subgenera which are Aspergilloides and Penicillium, comprise 32 sections and 100 sections respectively. In this study, we described six Penicillium species that reported in India for the first time.
Type species: Penicillium globosum L. Cai, Houbraken & X.Z. Jiang, in Diao et al., Cladistics: 10.1111/cla.12365, 16 (2018).
Other accepted species: Species Fungorum – search Penicillium.
Figure 1 – Penicillium globosum (NFCCI 5061). a, b Colonies after 5d at 25± 2 ºC on CYA, MEA surface view (above) and reverse view (below). c–h Surface view of colony on CREA, CYAS, CZA, DG18, OA, YES. i Biverticillate penicilli. j Monoverticillate penicilli. k Conidia. Scale bar: i–k = 10 μm.
References
Link HF. 1809 – Observationes in ordines plantarum naturales. Dissertatio I. Magazin der Gesellschaft Naturforschenden Freunde Berlin 3: 3–42.
Pitt JI, Samson RA. 1993 – Names in current use in the family Trichocomaceae. In: Greuter W., (ed.) Names in current use in the family Trichocomaceae, Cladoniaceae, Pinaceae, and Lemnaceae. Koeltz Scientific Books, Konigstein, 13–57.
Entry by
Indunil C. Senanayake, Innovative Institute for Plant Health/ Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control on Fruits and Vegetables in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Haizhu District, Guangzhou 510225, Guangdong, China., Center of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100, Thailand., Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Plant Epigenetics, College of Life Science and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, 3688, Nanhai Avenue, Nanshan, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China., University of L’Aquila, Department MeSVA, sect. Environmental Sciences, Via Vetoio, 67100 Coppito (AQ), Italy.
Published online 28 August 2026