Mifsud S.
Vol. 17 (3) – 19 octobre 2025
doi: 10.25664/art-0416
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Abstract: This research documents a synnematous, coralloid species of Penicillium collected on fallen seeds of Washingtonia filifera s.l. in the Maltese Islands. Successful cultivation and molecular analysis, specifically employing ITS4 sequencing, enabled precise taxonomic attribution to Penicillium coccotrypicola. First identified in 2014 from infected seeds of the palm Archontophoenix cunninghamiana in eastern Australia, this species remains relatively obscure and insufficiently documented, particularly within Europe, as its presence has so far only been recorded in Australia and New Zealand. Comprehensive descriptions of the fungus are provided, encompassing macroscopic and microscopic morphological features, growth characteristics on various culture media, and ecological context within Mediterranean habitats. These findings broaden the known distribution of P. coccotrypicola, here for the first time outside the Australian region, and expand knowledge of its morphology and ecology out of its native range and on a different host.
Non-pathogenic microfungi or moulds are among the least studied groups of organisms in natural environments, primarily due to their diminutive size, which renders them difficult to detect. Furthermore, when encountered, their inconspicuous nature and difficulty in identification often result in limited scientific attention compared to macrofungi […]