Corticioid fungi

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The corticioid fungus Terana caerulea, growing on the undersurface of dead branches Teranacaerulea.jpg
The corticioid fungus Terana caerulea , growing on the undersurface of dead branches

The corticioid fungi are a group of fungi in the Basidiomycota typically having effused, smooth basidiocarps (fruit bodies) that are formed on the undersides of dead tree trunks or branches. They are sometimes colloquially called crust fungi or patch fungi. Originally such fungi were referred to the genus Corticium ("corticioid" means Corticium-like) and subsequently to the family Corticiaceae , but it is now known that all corticioid species are not necessarily closely related. The fact that they look similar is an example of convergent evolution. Since they are often studied as a group, it is convenient to retain the informal (non-taxonomic) name of "corticioid fungi" and this term is frequently used in research papers [1] and other texts.

Contents

History

The genus Corticium was established by Persoon in 1794 for fungi having smooth, effused fruit bodies. Corticium roseum Pers. was later selected as the type species. [2] Subsequent authors described over 1000 species in the genus [3] which continued to be used in its wide sense up until the 1950s. Though a number of genera had been recognized as distinct from Corticium from the late nineteenth century onwards, it was not until Swedish mycologist Prof. John Eriksson reviewed the corticioid fungi in a series of publications starting in 1950 [4] [5] that modern concepts were formed. The eight-volume work that he initiated, Corticiaceae of North Europe (1973-1987), effectively established the current circumscription of the corticioid fungi.

Eriksson and his co-authors, however, still placed all or most of these fungi within the Corticiaceae, though stating that this was "not a natural taxon but an assemblage of species with similar habitat." [6] It was not until the advent of DNA sequencing that the full diversity of these fungi was realized. [1] [7] The genus Corticium is still retained, but is now restricted to a few species closely related to the type. The Corticiaceae is now equally restricted to a few genera close to (and including) Corticium. Crust-like species are found in no less than 18 of the 24 currently recognized orders of higher basidiomycetes (Agaricomycotina). [8] [9] [10]

Description and diversity

The corticioid fungus Lyomyces sambuci, common on dead elder branches Hyphodontia sambuci Eglinton.JPG
The corticioid fungus Lyomyces sambuci , common on dead elder branches
The corticioid fungus Stereum hirsutum, showing an effused fruit body with bracket-like outgrowths Stereum Hirsutum02.jpg
The corticioid fungus Stereum hirsutum , showing an effused fruit body with bracket-like outgrowths

Corticioid fungi are rather loosely defined, but most have effused fruit bodies, the spore bearing surface typically being smooth to granular or spiny. Some species (in the genera Stereum and Steccherinum , for example) may form fruit bodies that are partly bracket- or shelf-like with a smooth to spiny undersurface. [6]

The corticioid fungi currently comprise around 1700 species worldwide, distributed amongst some 250 genera. [11] They constitute around 13% of the homobasidiomycetes known to date. [1]

Habitat and distribution

Most corticioid fungi are wood-rotting species and rely on wood degradation as their primary means of nutrition. Although the fruiting bodies are formed on the underside of dead branches or logs, the fungus resides within the wood. A number of species are litter-rotting and produce fruitbodies underneath fallen leaves and compacted litter as well as on fallen wood. Some of these species are known to be ectomycorrhizal (forming a beneficial association with the roots of living trees). A few specialist species grow on dead herbaceous stems and leaves or on dead grass, rush, and sedge stems, especially in marshes. Parasites of plants and other fungi are also found in the group.

Corticioid fungi have a worldwide distribution, but are commonest in forest communities.

Related Research Articles

<i>Neolentinus</i> Genus of fungi

Neolentinus is a genus of wood-decaying agarics with tough fruit bodies composed of dimitic tissue, serrated lamella edges, and nonamyloid white binucleate basidiospores among other features. It was segregated from Lentinus in the broad taxonomic sense, hence the derivation of the name. Biologically Neolentinus species produce a brown rot type of decay of wood, whereas Lentinus causes a white rot. Molecular phylogenetic analysis shows that the two genera are unrelated. Neolentinus is phylogenetically allied to other brown rot genera such as Gloeophyllum, Heliocybe, and Veluticeps. A new order, the Gloeophyllales, has been described for these fungi. Heliocybe had been placed in synonymy but it differs phylogenetically and anatomically by the lack of clamp connections that all Neolentinus produce on their generative hyphae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clavulinaceae</span> Family of fungi

The Clavulinaceae are a family of fungi in the order Cantharellales. The family is not well defined, but currently comprises species of clavarioid fungi as well as some corticioid fungi. These species are nutritionally diverse, some being ectomycorrhizal, others wood-rotting saprotrophs, others lichenized, and yet others lichenicolous.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agaricomycetes</span> Class of fungi

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sclerodermataceae</span> Family of fungi

The Sclerodermataceae are a family of fungi in the order Boletales, containing several genera of unusual fungi that little resemble boletes. Taxa, which include species commonly known as the ‘hard-skinned puffballs’, ‘earthballs’, or 'earthstars', are widespread in both temperate and tropical regions. The best known members include the earthball Scleroderma citrinum, the dye fungus Pisolithus tinctorius and the 'prettymouths' of the genus Calostoma.

<i>Corticium roseum</i> Species of fungus

Corticium roseum is a species of fungus in the family Corticiaceae. Basidiocarps are effused, smooth, corticioid, and pink. The species has a wide, north and south temperate distribution and in Europe is typically found on dead, attached branches of Salix and Populus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corticiaceae</span> Family of fungi

The Corticiaceae are a family of fungi in the order Corticiales. The family formerly included almost all the corticioid fungi, whether they were related or not, and as such was highly artificial. In its current sense, however, the name Corticiaceae is restricted to a comparatively small group of corticioid genera within the Corticiales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atheliaceae</span> Family of fungi

Atheliaceae is a family of corticioid fungi placed under the monotypic order Atheliales. Both the order and the family were described by Walter Jülich in 1981. According to a 2008 estimate, the family contains 20 genera and approximately 100 species. However, many genera formerly considered to belong in the Atheliaceae have since been moved to other families, including Amylocorticiaceae, Albatrellaceae, and Hygrophoraceae. Despite being a relatively small group with inconspicuous forms, Atheliaceae members show great diversity in life strategies and are widespread in distribution. Additionally, being a group strictly composed of corticioid fungi, they may also provide insights on the evolution of fruiting body forms in basidiomycetes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phanerochaetaceae</span> Family of fungi

The Phanerochaetaceae are a family of mostly crust fungi in the order Polyporales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Echinodontiaceae</span> Family of fungi

The Echinodontiaceae are a family of crust fungi in the order Russulales. Species of this family, divided amongst two genera—Echinodontium and Laurilia—have a widespread distribution, although they are especially predominant in north temperate zones. They are parasitic or saprobic on wood, and may cause white rot of angiosperms and gymnosperms.

Corticium is a genus of fungi in the family Corticiaceae. Basidiocarps are effused, corticioid, smooth, and grow on dead wood. One species, C. silviae, is lichenicolous. The genus was formerly used in a very wide sense for almost any effused corticioid fungi.

<i>Hypochnicium</i> Genus of fungi

Hypochnicium is a genus of corticioid fungi in the family Meruliaceae. The genus was circumscribed by mycologist John Eriksson in 1958.

<i>Dentocorticium</i> Genus of fungi

Dentocorticium is a genus of six species of poroid fungi in the family Polyporaceae. The genus was revised in 2018, with several new species added and some older species transferred to other genera, based on phylogenetic analyses.

<i>Sebacina</i> Genus of fungi

Sebacina is a genus of fungi in the family Sebacinaceae. Its species are mycorrhizal, forming a range of associations with trees and other plants. Basidiocarps are produced on soil and litter, sometimes partly encrusting stems of living plants. The fruit bodies are cartilaginous to rubbery-gelatinous and variously effused (corticioid) to coral-shaped (clavarioid). The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution.

<i>Sistotrema</i> Genus of fungi

Sistotrema is a genus of fungi in the family Hydnaceae. The genus contains at least 55 species and has a worldwide distribution. The type species is Sistotrema confluens Pers. (1794).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Punctulariaceae</span> Family of fungi

The Punctulariaceae are a family of fungi in the order Corticiales. The family in its current sense is based on molecular research and contains just three genera of corticioid fungi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amylocorticiales</span> Order of fungi

Amylocorticiales is an order of fungi in the class Agaricomycetes. The order was circumscribed in 2010 to contain mostly resupinate (crust-like) forms that have been referred to genera Anomoporia, Amyloathelia, Amylocorticiellum, Amylocorticium, Amyloxenasma, Anomoloma, Athelia, Athelopsis, Ceraceomyces, Hypochniciellum, Leptosporomyces and Serpulomyces.

<i>Xylobolus frustulatus</i> Species of fungus

Xylobolus frustulatus, commonly known as the ceramic fungus or ceramic parchment, is an inedible species of crust fungus in the Stereaceae family. The fruit body forms small, hard, flat crust-like aggregations that resemble broken pieces of ceramic tile. These pieces are initially whitish before turning yellow-brown to gray-brown in age. The spore-bearing cells cover the upper surfaces of the fruit body. A saprobic species, it grows on well-decayed oak wood in Asia, northern Europe, and North America.

Crustodontia is a fungal genus of uncertain familial placement in the order Polyporales. The genus was circumscribed in 2005 to contain the crust fungus Crustodontia chrysocreas. This species was originally described as Corticium chrysocreas by Miles Berkeley and Moses Ashley Curtis in 1873. Their description was as follows: "Subiculum bright yellow, thin; hymenium immarginate pallid, or yellow tinged with tawny." Crustodontia has a monomitic hyphal system, meaning it contains only generative hyphae, and these hyphae have clamp connections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Eriksson (mycologist)</span> Swedish mycologist (1921—1995)

John Leonard Eriksson was a Swedish mycologist. He specialized in crust fungi of the basidiomycetes, collecting in Sweden, Finland and Canada.

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.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Larsson K-H, Larsson E, Koljalg U. (2004). High phylogenetic diversity among corticioid homobasidiomycetes. Mycological Research108: 983–1002.
  2. ↑ Donk MA. (1963). The generic names proposed for Hymenomycetes XIII. Taxon12: 158-159.
  3. ↑ "Index Fungorum - Search Page". www.indexfungorum.org. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  4. ↑ Eriksson J. (1950). Peniophora sect. Coloratae. Uppsala
  5. ↑ Eriksson J. (1958). Studies in the Heterobasidiomycetes and Homobasidiomycetes-Aphyllophorales of Muddus National Park in Sweden. Uppsala.
  6. 1 2 Hjortstam K, Larsson K-H, Ryvarden L. (1987). The Corticiaceae of North Europe. Vol. 1. Oslo: Fungiflora ISBN   82-90724-03-9
  7. ↑ Binder M. et al. (2005). The phylogenetic distribution of resupinate forms across the major clades of mushroom-forming fungi (Homobasidiomycetes). Systematics and Biodiversity3: 113–157.
  8. ↑ Hibbett D et al. (2007) A higher-level phylogenetic classification of the Fungi. Mycological Research111: 509-547.
  9. ↑ Larsson K-H. (2007). Re-thinking the classification of corticioid fungi. Mycological Research111: 1040-1063.
  10. ↑ Binder M et al. (2010). Amylocorticiales ord. nov. and Jaapiales ord. nov.: Early diverging clades of Agaricomycetidae dominated by corticioid forms. Mycologia102: 865-880.
  11. ↑ Hjortstam K. (1998) A checklist to genera and species of corticioid fungi. Windahlia23: 1–54.
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