The Hymenochaetales are an order of fungi in the class Agaricomycetes. The order in its current sense is based on molecular research and not on any unifying morphological characteristics. According to one 2008 estimate, the Hymenochaetales contain around 600 species worldwide, mostly corticioid fungi and poroid fungi, but also including several clavarioid fungi and agarics. Species of economic importance include wood decay fungi in the genera Phellinus and Inonotus sensu lato, some of which may cause losses in forestry. Therapeutic properties are claimed for Inonotus obliquus ("chaga") and Phellinus linteus, both of which are now commercially marketed.
Clitocybe is a genus of mushrooms characterized by white, off-white, buff, cream, pink, or light-yellow spores, gills running down the stem, and pale white to brown or lilac coloration. They are primarily saprotrophic, decomposing forest ground litter. There are estimated to be around 300 species in the widespread genus.
Rickenella is a genus of brightly colored bryophilous agarics in the Hymenochaetales that have an omphalinoid morphology. They inhabit mosses on mossy soils, peats, tree trunks and logs in temperate regions of both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Phylogenetically related agarics are in the genera Contumyces, Gyroflexus, Loreleia, Cantharellopsis and Blasiphalia, as well as the stipitate-stereoid genera Muscinupta and Cotylidia. and the clavarioid genus, Alloclavaria.
Blasiphalia is a fungal genus in the family Repetobasidiaceae. A monotypic genus, it contains the honey colored omphalinoid agaric, Blasiphalia pseudogrisella, which grows with the liverwort genus Blasia. Phylogenetically related agarics are in the genera Rickenella, Gyroflexus, Loreleia, Cantharellopsis and Contumyces, as well as the stipitate-stereoid genera Muscinupta and Cotylidia and clavarioid genus, Alloclavaria. Blasiphalia is most similar to Rickenella and Contumyces, and was only just recognized as a distinct genus in 2007 based upon molecular analysis. The fungus is unique in parasitizing Blasia by forming clasping appresoria on its host's rhizoids. Its basidiospores also germinate on the host's gemmae and clasp them and therefore can be disseminated together with the gemmae.
Gyroflexus is a monotypic genus with a yellowish-ivory colored omphalinoid agaric in the Hymenochaetales that grows on living Sphagnum Phylogenetically related agarics are in the genera Rickenella, Blasiphalia, Loreleia, Cantharellopsis and Contumyces, as well as the stipitate-stereoid genera Muscinupta and Cotylidia and clavaroid genus, Alloclavaria. Gyroflexus brevibasidiatus, the type, amongst the vaguely omphalinoid genera is distinguished by its small, mammiform pileus, growth on Sphagnum, and lack of cystidia.
Loreleia is a genus of brightly colored agarics in the Hymenochaetales that have an omphalinoid morphology. They inhabit mosses and or liverworts on soil in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Phylogenetically related agarics are in the genera Contumyces, Gyroflexus, Rickenella, Cantharellopsis and Blasiphalia, as well as the stipitate-stereoid genera Muscinupta and Cotylidia and the clavaroid genus, Alloclavaria. However, the large number of DNA base-pair changes causes a long-branch to form in phylogenetic analyses depicted as cladograms.
Cantharellopsis is a tan- to whitish-colored bryophilous monotypic genus in the Hymenochaetales. The fruit bodies of the single species Cantharellus prescotii has a form intermediate between an Omphalina and a chanterelle (Cantharellus) because of its forked, fold-like gills. It inhabits moss on calcareous soils in temperate regions of Europe. Phylogenetically related agarics are in the genera Contumyces, Gyroflexus, Loreleia, Rickenella and Blasiphalia, as well as the stipitate-stereoid genera Muscinupta and Cotylidia and the clavarioid genus, Alloclavaria.
Omphalina is a genus of small agarics with white, nonamyloid, basidiospores and decurrent gills. Typically the cap has a deep central depression giving the umbrella-like to funnel-shaped cap the appearance of a belly button, or a belly with a navel. Similarly-shaped agarics are said to be omphalinoid in appearance.
Cotylidia is a fungal genus characterized by small to moderately sized, white to palely yet brightly colored, stalked, fan-shaped to funnel-shaped fruit bodies with a smooth to wrinkled hymenium, tissues composed of monomitic hyphae, basidia producing smooth, nonamyloid spores, the absence of clamp connections, and bearing projecting cylindrical, thin-walled, hymenial cystidia. The genus is classified in the Hymenochaetales, however the type species, C. undulata has not yet been sequenced. Phylogenetically-related agaricoid fungi to the two species of Cotylidia thus far sequenced are in the genera Rickenella, Contumyces, Gyroflexus, Loreleia, Cantharellopsis and Blasiphalia, and Muscinupta and the clavarioid genus, Alloclavaria.
Alloclavaria is a clavarioid genus in the Hymenochaetales recently segregated from Clavaria by molecular analysis. Phylogenetically related fungi are in the agaricoid genera Rickenella, Contumyces, Gyroflexus, Loreleia, Cantharellopsis and Blasiphalia, as well as the stipitate stereoid genera Cotylidia and Muscinupta. The only species as yet placed in Alloclavaria is the type, formerly known as Clavaria purpurea under which name it is often cited or illustrated.. It is suspected, via circumstantial evidence, i.e. habitat, but not proven, that Alloclavaria is mycorrhizal.
Gerronema is a genus of small- to medium-sized lignicolous agarics with white, nonamyloid, spores and decurrent gills. The genus was circumscribed by American mycologist Rolf Singer in 1951.
Lichenomphalia is both a basidiolichen and an agaric genus. Most of the species have inconspicuous lichenized thalli that consist of scattered, small, loose, nearly microscopic green balls or foliose small flakes containing single-celled green algae in the genus Coccomyxa, all interconnected by a loose network of hyphae. The agaric fruit bodies themselves are nonlichenized and resemble other types of omphalinoid mushrooms. These agarics lack clamp connections and do not form hymenial cystidia. The basidiospores are hyaline, smooth, thin-walled, and nonamyloid. Most of the species were originally classified in the genera Omphalina or Gerronema. Historically the species were classified with those other genera in the family, the Tricholomataceae together with the nonlichenized species. Lichenomphalia species can be grouped into brightly colored taxa, with vivid yellow and orange colors, versus the grey brown group, depending upon the microscopic pigmentation deposits. Molecular research comparing DNA sequences now place Lichenomphalia close to the redefined genus Arrhenia, which together with several other genera not traditionally considered to be related, fall within the newly redefined Hygrophoraceae.
Arrhenia is a genus of fungi in the family Hygrophoraceae. Arrhenia also includes species formerly placed in the genera Leptoglossum and Phaeotellus and the lectotype species itself has an unusual growth form that would not normally be called agaricoid. All of the species grow in association with photosynthetic cryptogams such as mosses, including peat moss, and alga scums on decaying wood, and soil crusts consisting of mixes of such organisms. Typically the fruitbodies of Arrhenia species are grey to black or blackish brown, being pigmented by incrusting melanized pigments on the hyphae.
Melanoleuca is a poorly known genus of saprotrophic mushrooms traditionally classified in the family Tricholomataceae. Most are small to medium sized, white, brown, ocher or gray with a cylindrical to subcylindrical stipe and white to pale yellowish gills. The basidiospores are ellipsoid and ornamented with amyloid warts. Melanoleuca is considered a difficult group to study due to their macroscopic similarities among species and the need of a thorough microscopic analysis to separate species. DNA studies have determined that this genus is closely related to Amanita and Pluteus and that it does not belong to the family Tricholomataceae.
Trichaptum is a genus of poroid fungi. The genus was circumscribed by American mycologist William Alphonso Murrill in 1904. Formerly classified in the family Polyporaceae, several molecular studies have shown that the genus belongs to the order Hymenochaetales.
Ampulloclitocybe is a genus of three species of fungi with a widespread distribution.
Hemipholiota is a genus of agaric fungi in the order Agaricales. It was originally proposed by Rolf Singer in 1962 as a subgenus of Pholiota to contain species with absent or sparse pleurocystidia and absent chrysocystidia. Henri Romagnesi raised it to generic status in 1980, but this naming was invalid as it did not meet the requirements of the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants. Marcel Bon published the genus validly in 1986.
Aphroditeola is an agaric fungal genus that produces pink cantharelloid fruit bodies on coniferous forest floors. The lamellae are forked and typically the fruit bodies have a fragrant odor described as candy-like, cinnamony or pink bubble gum-like. In the last century it was classified in Hygrophoropsis, a genus in the Boletales. However, Hygrophoropsis has dextrinoid basidiospores while Aphroditeola lacks these. Phylogenetically Aphroditeola is classified in the Agaricales near the Hygrophoraceae. Little is known about its biology except that the type species can be grown in culture from basidiospores and it produces pinkish to reddish-orange mycelium. In other literature and web sites the type species is called by synonymous names Hygrophoropsis morganii or Hygrophoropsis olida or incorrectly labelled Hygrophoropsis rufescens, a misapplied name.
Lichenomphalia umbellifera is a species of agaric fungus in the family Hygrophoraceae.
Arrhenia chlorocyanea, commonly known as the verdigris navel, is a species of agaric fungus in the family Hygrophoraceae. Originally named as a species of Agaricus in 1885, and later classified as a member of Omphalina, the species was transferred to the genus Arrhenia in 2002. It is found in Europe and North America.
