Page "Penicillium" Paragraph 0

Penicillium is a genus of ascomycetous fungi of major importance in the natural environment as well as food and drug production.

Members of the genus produce penicillin, a molecule that is used as an antibiotic, which kills or stops the growth of certain kinds of bacteria inside the body.

According to the Dictionary of the Fungi ( 10th edition, 2008 ), the widespread genus contains over 300 species.