Common Air Borne Molds

ALTERNARIA Grows on plants, plant materials, fruits, vegetables. and cereal gains.

ASPERGILLUS Common soil fungus found on damp hay, grain, fruits, and sausage. Common on wet surfaces in bathrooms and in drip pans of refrigerators and other appliances. Grows on stored food products under damp conditions.

BOTRYTIS Found in the garden during wet weather on flowers.

CEPHALOSPORIUM Common soil inhabitant. Dust in textile plants.

EPICOCCUM Found on decaying vegetative material, plant leaves and uncooked fruit.

FOMES Found on rotting wood.

FUSARIUM Found on green plants such as peas, beans, tomatoes, corn, sweet potatoes, rice and cotton.

GEOTRICHUM Commonly found in soil and milk.

HELMINTHOSPIUM Found on cereal grain plants, such as corn, wheat, oats and rye.

HORMODENDRUM Found on decomposing plants, leather rubber, cloth, paper and wood, products. Spores are released in great numbers after rains and damp weather.

MUCOR Normal soil inhabitant. Found around barns and barnyards where it grows on animal waste.

PENICILLIUM Normally a soil inhabitant. but grows on fruits, breads, cheese and other foods. (Mutant strains are used to produce the antibiotic penicillin.)

PHOMA Grows on paper products, such as books and magazines. Also grows on certain paints and green plants.

PULLULARIA Found in soil but also grows on decaying vegetation, plants and chalking compounds.

RHIZOPUS Grows on bread, cured meats, root vegetables indoors, and on sugary food products in storage (bakery goods, fruit and sweet potatoes.

RHODOTORULA Common soil inhabitant.

SPOROBOLOMYES Wood decay on forest trees.

STEMPHYLIUM Grows on damp paper, canvas and cotton fabric, as well as decaying plant material. Grows on leaves and stems of vegetable crops such as tomatoes and beans.
TRlCHODERMA Found mainly on decaying wood. Also grows on damp cotton and wool and may be found in damp basements.