Penicillium sp.

Penicillium is a diverse fungal genus of ascomycetous fungi and contains more than 350 species (Visagie et al., 2014).

The members of the genus Penicillium are filamentous fungi. Penicillium spp. are widespread and are found in soil, decaying vegetation, and the air.

The colonies of Penicillium spp. are rapid growing, flat, filamentous, and velvety, woolly, or cottony in texture. The colonies are initially white and become blue green, gray green, olive gray, yellow or pinkish in time.

The wide range of extracellular enzymes produced by the Penicillium species plays an important role in the microbiological break down of organic materials.