Question

Fruiting body of Penicillium is
A) Cleistothecium
B) Pycniophysis
C) Sterigmata
D) None of the above

Answer 1

Penicillium is the genus of ascomycetous fungi. The genus Penicillium was first described by Johann Heinrich Friedrich Link. The word Penicillium is derived from the latin root penicillium which means the painter’s brush. The painter’s brush refers to the chains of conidia that resemble a broom.

Complete answer:
Fruiting body of the Penicillium:

The fruiting body of the Penicillium is Cleistothecium.
Cleistothecium is a globose completely closed fruiting body with no opening to the outside.
Cleistothecium is a spore bearing structure in the ascomycetes fungi (Penicillium).
Asci and spores are released from the cleistothecium only when they decay or disintegrate.
Asci are globose, deliquescent and scattered throughout the interior cavity or arising in tufts from the basal region of the ascocarps.
Each asci carries around eight ascocarps.
Cleistothecia are found mostly in the fungi in which there is little room available for their ascocarps.

Additional information:

Pycniophysis:-It is an asexual fruiting body. This fruiting body is produced by the mitosporic fungi. It can be a spherical or inversely pear shaped fruiting body. It bears conidiophores and conidia on the interior and occurs in various imperfect fungi & ascomycetes. Another name of these fruiting bodies is pycnidial or Pycnidium.
Sterigmata:-Sterigmata is a small supporting structure. It is the extension of the basidium and consists of a basal filamentous part and a slender projection which carries a spore at a tip. Basidia are the spore bearing cells. The stigmata are formed on the basidium. There are usually four sterigmata on each of the basidium.
Therefore, it has been clear from the above discussion that the fruiting body of Penicillium is Cleistothecium.

Hence, option A is the correct answer.

Note: The fungi Penicillium is of great economic importance. It is used in natural environments, in food spoilage and in food and drug production. Some of its members also used antibiotics. Antibiotics kill or stop the growth of the bacteria.