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Abstract
During a recent survey of Penicillium spp. from fynbos soils in the Western Cape Province of South Africa, several undescribed species were isolated. Similar isolates of one of these species also were collected in the Western Cape from Protea infructescences. These strains were compared morphologically to known species of Penicillium but could not be identified with previously published keys. Morphologically these strains belong to subgenus Biverticillium. They are distinguished by strongly funiculose colonies covered by glutinous exudates and conidiophores with thin acerose phialides (8.5–10[−12] × 2.0–2.5 μm) that give rise to chains of subspheroidal to ellipsoidal conidia (2.5–3.0 × 1.5–2.5 μm). Characteristically short (100–150[−250] μm) determinate synnemata are produced in culture after prolonged incubation with much longer synnemata produced in nature. Based on differences in morphology and molecular characters, the strains are described here as Penicillium ramulosum sp. nov.
We acknowledge the University of Stellenbosch and the National Research Foundation (NRF) for financial support, Western Cape Nature Conservation Board for allowing access to Riverlands Nature Reserve. We are grateful for the help of Hugh Glen, who provided the Latin diagnosis. We appreciate inputs on the draft of this paper by Drs K.A. Seifert and A. McLeod. We also are grateful for the assistance of Seifert, who provided Penicillium strains and sequences to be used for comparisons in this study.