A re-evaluation of Penicillium section Canescentia, including the description of five new species

Abstract

A survey of Penicillium in the fynbos biome from South Africa resulted in the isolation of 61 species of which 29 were found to be new. In this study we focus on Penicillium section Canescentia, providing a phylogenetic re-evaluation based on the analysis of partial beta-tubulin (BenA), calmodulin (CaM) and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (RPB2) sequence data. Based on phylogenies we show that five fynbos species are new and several previously assigned synonyms of P. canescens and P. janczewskii should be considered as distinct species. As such, we provide descriptions for the five new species and introduce the new name P. elizabethiae for the illegitimate P. echinatum. We also update the accepted species list and synonymies of section Canescentia species and provide a review of extrolites produced by these species. Citation: Visagie CM, Frisvad JC, Houbraken J, et al. 2021. A re-evaluation of Penicillium section Canescentia, including the description of five new species. Persoonia 46: 163-187. https://doi.org/10.3767/persoonia.2021.46.06.

Keywords: DNA barcodes; Genealogical Concordance; Phylogenetic Species; Recognition (GCPSR); new taxa; secondary metabolites; series Atroveneta; series Canescentia.

Fig. 1

Phylogenetic tree of Penicillium section Canescentia ex-type strains using a concatenated dataset of BenA, CaM and RPB2. Penicillium sacculum was chosen as outgroup. Posterior probabilities (pp) and/or bootstrap values (bs) higher than 0.95 and 80, respectively, are given above thickened branches. Names in coloured text represent new species, ^T = ex-type strain.

Fig. 2

Phylogenetic trees of Penicillium section Canescentia series Atroveneta based on BenA, CaM, RPB2 and concatenated datasets. Penicillium canescens was chosen as outgroup. Posterior probabilities (pp) and/or bootstrap values (bs) higher than 0.95 and 80, respectively, are given above thickened branches. Names in grey text indicate reference strains, black text fynbos strains and coloured text new species, ^T = ex-type strain.

Fig. 3

Phylogenetic trees of Penicillium section Canescentia series Canescentia based on BenA and concatenated datasets. Penicillium novae-zeelandiae was chosen as outgroup. Posterior probabilities (pp) and/or bootstrap values (bs) higher than 0.95 and 80, respectively, are given above thickened branches. Names in grey text indicate reference strains, black text fynbos strains and coloured text new species, ^T = ex-type strain.

Fig. 4

Phylogenetic trees of Penicillium section Canescentia series Canescentia based on CaM and RPB2. Penicillium novae-zeelandiae was chosen as outgroup. Posterior probabilities (pp) and/or bootstrap values (bs) higher than 0.95 and 80, respectively, are given above thickened branches. Names in grey text indicate reference strains, black text fynbos strains and coloured text new species, ^T = ex-type strain.

Fig. 5

Penicillium novae-zeelandiae. a. Colonies left to right: CYA, CYA reverse, MEA, MEA reverse, YES, DG18, CYAS; top row: CBS 546.77; middle row CBS 138942; bottom row CBS 138949; b. black sclerotia produced on MEA; c–g. conidiophores; h. conidia. — Scale bars: b, c = 50 μm, d–h = 10 μm.

Fig. 6

Penicillium allsoppiae. a. Colonies (top row, left to right: CYA, MEA, YES; bottom row, left to right: CYA reverse, MEA reverse, YES reverse); b, c. colony texture on MEA; d–i. conidiophores; j. conidia. — Scale bars: d = 25 μm, e–j = 10 μm.

Fig. 7

Penicillium doidgeae. a. Colonies (top row, left to right: CYA, MEA, YES; bottom row, left to right: CYA reverse, MEA reverse, YES reverse); b, c. colony texture on MEA; d–h. conidiophores; i. conidia. — Scale bars: d = 25 μm, e–i = 10 μm.

Fig. 8

Penicillium eickeri. a. Colonies (top row, left to right: CYA, MEA, YES; bottom row, left to right: CYA reverse, MEA reverse, YES reverse); b, c. colony texture on MEA; d–h. conidiophores; i. conidia. — Scale bars: d = 25 μm, e–i = 10 μm.

Fig. 9

Penicillium pole-evansii. a. Colonies (top row, left to right: CYA, MEA, YES; bottom row, left to right: CYA reverse, MEA reverse, YES reverse); b, c. colony texture on MEA; d–i. conidiophores; j. conidia. — Scale bars: d, e = 25 μm, f–j = 10 μm.

Fig. 10

Penicillium scottii. a. Colonies (top row, left to right: CYA, MEA, YES; bottom row, left to right: CYA reverse, MEA reverse, YES reverse); b, c. colony texture on MEA; d–i. conidiophores; j. conidia. — Scale bars: d, e = 25 μm, f–j = 10 μm.