The Corticiales are an order

Order (biology)

In scientific classification used in biology, the order is# a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, family, genus, and species, with order fitting in between class and family...

 of fungi in the class

Class (biology)

In biological classification, class is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, order, family, genus, and species, with class fitting between phylum and order...

 Agaricomycetes

Agaricomycetes

Agaricomycetes is a class of fungi. 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 mushrooms but also most species placed in the deprecated taxa Gasteromycetes and...

. The order is mostly composed of corticioid fungi

Corticioid fungi

The corticioid fungi are a group of fungi in the Basidiomycota typically having effused, smooth basidiocarps that are formed on the undersides of dead attached or fallen branches. They are sometimes colloquially called crust fungi or patch fungi...

, but also includes one anomalous agaric

Agaric

An agaric is a type of fungal fruiting body characterized by the presence of a pileus that is clearly differentiated from the stipe , with lamellae on the underside of the pileus. "Agaric" can also refer to a basidiomycete species characterized by an agaric-type fruiting body...

oid species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

, Marchandiomphalina foliacea. Species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 within the order are generally saprotrophic, most of them wood-rotters

Wood-decay fungus

A wood-decay fungus is a variety of fungus that digests moist wood, causing it to rot. Some wood-decay fungi attack dead wood, such as brown rot, and some, such as Armillaria , are parasitic and colonize living trees. Fungi that not only grow on wood but actually cause it to decay, are called...

, but several are parasitic

Parasitism

Parasitism is a type of symbiotic relationship between organisms of different species where one organism, the parasite, benefits at the expense of the other, the host. Traditionally parasite referred to organisms with lifestages that needed more than one host . These are now called macroparasites...

 on grasses or lichens. Those of economic importance include Waitea circinata

Waitea circinata

Waitea circinata is a species of fungus in the family Corticiaceae. Basidiocarps are thin, effused, and web-like, but the fungus is more frequently encountered in its similar but sterile anamorphic state, sometimes called Rhizoctonia zeae...

, a pathogen of cereal crops, and Laetisaria fuciformis, the cause of red thread disease in turf grass.

Taxonomy

The order was established in 2007 by Swedish mycologist Karl-Henrik Larsson, based on molecular phylogenetic research. Though the precise boundaries of the order and its constituent families

Family (biology)

In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...

  are yet to be resolved, it includes the Corticiaceae

Corticiaceae

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...

 (the type family) as well as the Punctulariaceae

Punctulariaceae

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.-History:...

 and Vuilleminiaceae

Vuilleminiaceae

The Vuilleminiaceae 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 temperate corticioid fungi.-History:...

.

Habitat and distribution

The order is cosmopolitan

Cosmopolitan distribution

In biogeography, a taxon is said to have a cosmopolitan distribution if its range extends across all or most of the world in appropriate habitats. For instance, the killer whale has a cosmopolitan distribution, extending over most of the world's oceans. Other examples include humans, the lichen...

 and contains around 150 species of fungi worldwide. The majority of species in the Corticiales are saprotrophs, most of them wood-rotters, typically found on dead attached branches. Species of Laetisaria

Laetisaria

Laetisaria is a genus of fungi in the family Corticiaceae. The genus has a widespread distribution and contains three species....

, Limonomyces

Limonomyces

Limonomyces is a genus of fungi in the family Corticiaceae. The genus contains two species, found in Europe and North America....

, and Waitea

Waitea

Waitea is a genus of fungi in the family Corticiaceae. The genus contains two species found in Australia and Switzerland....

are facultative

Facultative parasite

A facultative parasite is an organism that may resort to parasitic activity, but does not absolutely rely on any host for completion of its life cycle....

 or obligate parasites of grasses; species of Marchandiobasidium

Marchandiobasidium

Marchandiobasidium is a genus of fungus in the family Corticiaceae. The genus is monotypic, containing the single species Marchandiobasidium aurantiacum, found in Europe and North America....

and Marchandiomyces

Marchandiomyces

Marchandiomyces is a genus of anamorphic fungi in the family Corticiaceae....

are parasites of lichens; Marchandiomphalina foliacea is itself lichen

Lichen

Lichens are composite organisms consisting of a symbiotic organism composed of a fungus with a photosynthetic partner , usually either a green alga or cyanobacterium...

ized.

Economic importance

Waitea circinata

Waitea circinata

Waitea circinata is a species of fungus in the family Corticiaceae. Basidiocarps are thin, effused, and web-like, but the fungus is more frequently encountered in its similar but sterile anamorphic state, sometimes called Rhizoctonia zeae...

is an important pathogen of commercial cereal

Cereal

Cereals are grasses cultivated for the edible components of their grain , composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran...

 crops, causing a number of diseases including sheath spot of rice

Rice

Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...

. The same fungus also causes brown ring patch in turf grasses

Lawn

A lawn is an area of aesthetic and recreational land planted with grasses or other durable plants, which usually are maintained at a low and consistent height. Low ornamental meadows in natural landscaping styles are a contemporary option of a lawn...

. Laetisaria fuciformis is the cause of red thread disease

Red Thread (disease)

Red Thread Disease is a fungal infection found on lawns and other turfed areas. It is caused by the corticioid fungus Laetisaria fuciformis and has two separate stages. The stage that gives the infection its name is characterised by very thin, red, needle-like strands extending from the grass blade...

 in turf grass.