The Polyporales are an order of about 1800 species of fungi in the division Basidiomycota. The order includes some polypores as well as many corticioid fungi and a few agarics. Many species within the order are saprotrophic, most of them wood-rotters. Some genera, such as Ganoderma and Fomes, contain species that attack living tissues and then continue to degrade the wood of their dead hosts. Those of economic importance include several important pathogens of trees and a few species that cause damage by rotting structural timber. Some of the Polyporales are commercially cultivated and marketed for use as food items or in traditional Chinese medicine.
Sordariomycetes is a class of fungi in the subdivision Pezizomycotina (Ascomycota). It is the second-largest class of Ascomycota, with a worldwide distribution that mostly accommodates terrestrial based taxa, although several can also be found in aquatic habitats. Some are phytopathogens that can cause leaf, stem, and root diseases in a wide variety of hosts, while other genera can cause diseases in arthropods and mammals.
Cuphophyllus is a genus of agaric fungi in the family Hygrophoraceae. Cuphophyllus species belong to a group known as waxcaps in English, sometimes also waxy caps in North America or waxgills in New Zealand. In Europe, Cuphophyllus species are typical of waxcap grasslands, a declining habitat due to changing agricultural practices. As a result, four species, Cuphophyllus atlanticus, C. colemannianus, C. lacmus, and C. lepidopus are of global conservation concern and are listed as "vulnerable" on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
The Agaricomycetes are a class of fungi in the division Basidiomycota. The taxon is roughly identical to that defined for the Homobasidiomycetes by Hibbett & Thorn, with the inclusion of Auriculariales and Sebacinales. It includes not only mushroom-forming fungi, but also most species placed in the deprecated taxa Gasteromycetes and Homobasidiomycetes. Within the subdivision Agaricomycotina, which already excludes the smut and rust fungi, the Agaricomycetes can be further defined by the exclusion of the classes Tremellomycetes and Dacrymycetes, which are generally considered to be jelly fungi. However, a few former "jelly fungi", such as Auricularia, are classified in the Agaricomycetes. According to a 2008 estimate, Agaricomycetes include 17 orders, 100 families, 1147 genera, and about 21000 species. Modern molecular phylogenetic analyses have been since used to help define several new orders in the Agaricomycetes: Amylocorticiales, Jaapiales, Stereopsidales, and Lepidostromatales.
The Dacrymycetaceae are a family of fungi in the order Dacrymycetales. Species are saprotrophs and occur on dead wood. Their distribution is worldwide. Basidiocarps are ceraceous (waxy) to gelatinous, often yellow to orange, and variously clavarioid, disc-shaped, cushion-shaped, spathulate (spoon-shaped), or corticioid (effused).
The Auriculariaceae are a family of fungi in the order Auriculariales. Species within the family were formerly referred to the "heterobasidiomycetes" or "jelly fungi", since many have gelatinous basidiocarps that produce spores on septate basidia. Around 100 species are known worldwide. All are believed to be saprotrophic, most growing on dead wood. Fruit bodies of several Auricularia species are cultivated for food on a commercial scale, especially in China.
Myriostoma is a fungal genus in the family Geastraceae. Basidiocarps resemble earthstars, but the spore sac is supported by multiple columns and has multiple ostioles instead of a single, apical ostiole. Until 2017, the genus was thought to be monotypic with a single, widespread species, Myriostoma coliforme. Recent research has, however, shown that at least six species occur worldwide.
Callistosporium is a genus of fungi in the order Agaricales. Basidiocarps are agarics, either with a central stipe (stalk} or pleurotoid. The latter group were formerly referred to Pleurocollybia. Recent molecular research, based on cladistic analysis of DNA sequences, has shown that the genus is a natural, monophyletic grouping, though not all species have yet been sequenced. Species are saprotrophic, typically growing on wood, and the genus is found worldwide.
Pleurocollybia is a genus of fungi in the family Callistosporiaceae. Basidiocarps are pleurotoid and grow on wood. DNA research has shown that the type species, P. praemultifolia belongs in the genus Callistosporium, making Pleurocollybia a synonym. Not all species have been investigated, however, and it is not clear that every Pleurocollybia species belongs in Callistosporium. Pleurocollybia cibaria has, for example, been transferred to the genus Gerhardtia.
Eichleriella is a genus of fungi in the order Auriculariales. Species produce effused or cupulate, waxy to leathery basidiocarps on wood, with a smooth to spiny surface. The genus contains some twelve species.
Heterochaete is a genus of fungi in the order Auriculariales. Species produce effused, gelatinous, waxy, or leathery basidiocarps on wood, partly or wholly covered in small sterile spines or pegs. The presence of these sterile spines distinguishes the genus from Exidiopsis, species of which are microscopically similar but have smooth basidiocarps.
Galzinia is a genus of fungi in the class Agaricomycetes. Basidiocarps are thin, effused, corticioid, and typically occur on rotten, fallen wood. Molecular research, based on cladistic analysis of DNA sequences, suggests the genus may be polyphyletic. The type species has not yet been sequenced, but Galzinia longibasidia belongs in the Polyporales.
Heteroradulum is a genus of fungi in the order Auriculariales. Species produce effused, leathery basidiocarps on wood, often pinkish red and partly or wholly covered in small sterile spines. The genus was originally published in 1917 by American mycologist Curtis Gates Lloyd under the facetious pseudonym "McGinty", rendering the name invalid. It was validated a century later to accommodate a group of species formerly placed in the genera Eichleriella or Heterochaete, but not closely related to either.
Gliophorus is a genus of agaric fungi in the family Hygrophoraceae. Gliophorus species belong to a group known as waxcaps in English, sometimes also waxy caps in North America or waxgills in New Zealand. In Europe, Gliophorus species are typical of waxcap grasslands, a declining habitat due to changing agricultural practices. As a result, two species, Gliophorus europerplexus and Gliophorus reginae, are of global conservation concern and are listed as "vulnerable" on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Phellinus ellipsoideus is a species of polypore fungus in the family Hymenochaetaceae, a specimen of which produced the largest fungal fruit body ever recorded. Found in China, the fruit bodies produced by the species are brown, woody basidiocarps that grow on dead wood, where the fungus feeds as a saprotroph. The basidiocarps are perennial, allowing them to grow very large under favourable circumstances. They are resupinate, measuring 30 centimetres (12 in) or more in length, though typically extending less than a centimetre from the surface of the wood. P. ellipsoideus produces distinct ellipsoidal spores, after which it is named, and unusual setae. These two features allow it to be readily differentiated microscopically from other, similar species. Chemical compounds isolated from the species include several steroidal compounds. These may have pharmacological applications, but further research is needed.
Adustochaete is a genus of fungi in the family Auriculariaceae. Species produce effused basidiocarps on wood, typically covered in small sterile spines or pegs. The genus was created as a result of molecular research, based on cladistic analysis of DNA sequences, to accommodate two species from Brazil and Mexico that are not closely related to the older and superficially similar genus Heterochaete. Two additional species, from Brazil and China, have since been described.
Tremellochaete is a genus of fungi in the family Auriculariaceae. Species produce pustular or lobed, effused, gelatinous basidiocarps on wood, typically covered in small sterile spines or pegs.
Proterochaete is a genus of fungi in the family Auriculariaceae. The type and only species, Proterochaete adusta, produces thin, effused, corticioid basidiocarps with a smooth or spiny surface on wood. The species was originally described from North America and is also known from northern Europe and Asia.
Sclerotrema is a genus of fungi in the family Auriculariaceae. The type and only species, Sclerotrema griseobrunnea, produces effused, corticioid basidiocarps on wood with a smooth surface. The species was originally described from Russia and is also known from Canada.
Protodaedalea is a genus of fungi in the family Auriculariaceae. Species produce bracket-like basidiocarps on wood with a lamellate (gilled) undersurface. The genus currently comprises two species, both known from Asia.
