Diversity of Penicillium section Citrina within the fynbos biome of South Africa, including a new species from a Protea repens infructescence.

ABSTRACT

During a survey of the fynbos biome in the Western Cape of South Africa, 61 Penicillium species were isolated and nine belong to Penicillium section Citrina. Based on morphology and multigene phylogenies, section Citrina species were identified as P. cairnsense, P. citrinum, P. pancosmium, P. pasqualense, P. sanguifluum, P. sizovae, P. sumatrense and P. ubiquetum. One of the species displayed unique phenotypic characters and DNA sequences and is described here as P. sucrivorum. Multigene phylogenies consistently resolved the new species in a clade with P. aurantiacobrunneum, P. cairnsense, P. miczynksii, P. neomiczynskii and P. quebecense. However, ITS, ß-tubulin and calmodulin gene sequences are unique for P. sucrivorum and growth rates on various media, the ability to grow at 30 C, a positive Ehrlich reaction and the absence of sclerotia on all media examined, distinguish P. sucrivorum from all of its close relatives.