penicillia

Variant of penicillium

penicillium definition

peni·cil·lium (pen′i sil′ē əm)

noun pl. penicilliums -·li·ums or penicillia -·lia (-ə)

any of a genus (Penicillium) of imperfect fungi growing as green mold on stale bread, ripening cheese, decaying fruit, etc.: penicillin is derived from some species

Etymology: ModL < L penicillus (see pencil): from the tuftlike ends of the conidiophores

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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