Cyphelloid fungi
Encyclopedia
The cyphelloid fungi are a group of fungi in the Basidiomycota
that have disc-, tube-, or cup-shaped basidiocarps (fruit bodies), resembling species of discomycetes
(or "cup fungi") in the Ascomycota
. They were originally referred to the genus
Cyphella
("cyphelloid" means Cyphella-like) and subsequently to the family
Cyphellaceae
, but are now known to be much more diverse and are spread through several different genera and families. Since they are often studied as a group, it is convenient to call them by the informal (non-taxonomic) name of "cyphelloid fungi".
in 1822. Subsequent authors gradually added over 300 species to the genus. By the close of the nineteenth century, however, it was already clear that Cyphella contained a miscellany of species — some, for example, having hyaline spores, whilst others had brown spores. Segregate genera were accordingly proposed to accommodate cyphelloid fungi that were not closely related to the type, and this process continued throughout the twentieth century. The group was covered in a monograph by William Bridge Cooke in 1961, with additional papers by Donk, Reid
, and Agerer. As a result of these critical revisions, only one species is still accepted in Cyphella, namely the type Cyphella digitalis.
The family name Cyphellaceae was used to keep most (but not all) of these segregate genera together. It became equally clear, however, that it too was heterogeneous
, Donk noting that it was "nothing but a handy bin from which part of the contents has already been taken out and disposed of by scattering it over various groups."
DNA sequencing
confirms this diversity, showing that cyphelloid fungi have independently evolved at least eight times within the Basidiomycota. Genera are currently placed in the Cyphellaceae (in a restricted sense), Inocybaceae
, Marasmiaceae
, Niaceae
, and Tricholomataceae
. It had previously been suggested that most cyphelloid fungi were related to gilled agarics (mushrooms and toadstools) and they have sometimes been referred to as "reduced agarics". DNA sequencing shows that this is indeed true for many of the genera sampled, almost all being placed within the order
Agaricales
.
Better known cyphelloid genera include Calyptella
, with stalked, cup- or bell-like fruit bodies; Lachnella
, with conspicuous, hairy-margined, disc-like fruit bodies; Flagelloscypha
with smaller, but equally hairy, cup-like fruit bodies; Henningsomyces
with tube-like fruit bodies; and Merismodes
with clustered, hairy, cup-like fruit bodies.
As a group, the cyphelloid fungi are cosmopolitan, though (as with most fungi) better studied and better known in north temperate regions.
Basidiomycota
Basidiomycota is one of two large phyla that, together with the Ascomycota, comprise the subkingdom Dikarya within the Kingdom Fungi...
that have disc-, tube-, or cup-shaped basidiocarps (fruit bodies), resembling species of discomycetes
Discomycetes
Discomycetes is a former taxonomic class of Ascomycete fungi which contains all of the cup, sponge, brain, and some club-like fungi. It includes typical cup fungi like the scarlet elf cup and the orange peel fungus, and fungi with fruiting bodies of more unusual shape, such as morels, truffles and...
(or "cup fungi") in the Ascomycota
Ascomycota
The Ascomycota are a Division/Phylum of the kingdom Fungi, and subkingdom Dikarya. Its members are commonly known as the Sac fungi. They are the largest phylum of Fungi, with over 64,000 species...
. They were originally referred to the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Cyphella
Cyphella
Cyphella is a genus of fungi in the family Cyphellaceae. The genus contains two widely distributed species....
("cyphelloid" means Cyphella-like) and subsequently to the family
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...
Cyphellaceae
Cyphellaceae
The Cyphellaceae are a family of fungi in the Agaricales order. The family contains 16 genera and 31 species.-Genera:*Asterocyphella*Campanophyllum*Catilla*Cheimonophyllum*Chondrostereum*Cunninghammyces*Cyphella...
, but are now known to be much more diverse and are spread through several different genera and families. Since they are often studied as a group, it is convenient to call them by the informal (non-taxonomic) name of "cyphelloid fungi".
History
The genus Cyphella was original described by FriesElias Magnus Fries
-External links:*, Authors of fungal names, Mushroom, the Journal of Wild Mushrooming.*...
in 1822. Subsequent authors gradually added over 300 species to the genus. By the close of the nineteenth century, however, it was already clear that Cyphella contained a miscellany of species — some, for example, having hyaline spores, whilst others had brown spores. Segregate genera were accordingly proposed to accommodate cyphelloid fungi that were not closely related to the type, and this process continued throughout the twentieth century. The group was covered in a monograph by William Bridge Cooke in 1961, with additional papers by Donk, Reid
Derek Reid
Derek Agutter Reid was an English mycologist.-Background and education:Reid was born in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, the son of a picture-framer. He was educated at Cedars School and the University of Hull, where he studied geology and botany...
, and Agerer. As a result of these critical revisions, only one species is still accepted in Cyphella, namely the type Cyphella digitalis.
The family name Cyphellaceae was used to keep most (but not all) of these segregate genera together. It became equally clear, however, that it too was heterogeneous
Polyphyly
A polyphyletic group is one whose members' last common ancestor is not a member of the group.For example, the group consisting of warm-blooded animals is polyphyletic, because it contains both mammals and birds, but the most recent common ancestor of mammals and birds was cold-blooded...
, Donk noting that it was "nothing but a handy bin from which part of the contents has already been taken out and disposed of by scattering it over various groups."
DNA sequencing
DNA sequencing
DNA sequencing includes several methods and technologies that are used for determining the order of the nucleotide bases—adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine—in a molecule of DNA....
confirms this diversity, showing that cyphelloid fungi have independently evolved at least eight times within the Basidiomycota. Genera are currently placed in the Cyphellaceae (in a restricted sense), Inocybaceae
Inocybaceae
The Inocybaceae are a family of fungi in the Agaricales order. According to a 2008 estimate, the family contains 13 genera and 821 species. Members of this family have a widespread distribution in tropical and temperate areas.-Taxonomy:...
, Marasmiaceae
Marasmiaceae
The Marasmiaceae are a family of basidiomycete fungi which have white spores. They mostly have a tough stem and the capability of shrivelling up during a dry period and later recovering. The widely consumed edible fungus Lentinula edodes, the Shiitake mushroom, is a member of this family...
, Niaceae
Niaceae
The Niaceae are a family of fungi in the Agaricales order. The family contains 6 genera and 56 species....
, and Tricholomataceae
Tricholomataceae
The Tricholomataceae are a large family of mushrooms within the Agaricales. A classic "wastebasket taxon", the Tricholomataceae is inclusive of any white-, yellow-, or pink-spored genera in the Agaricales not already classified as belonging to the Amanitaceae, Lepiotaceae, Hygrophoraceae,...
. It had previously been suggested that most cyphelloid fungi were related to gilled agarics (mushrooms and toadstools) and they have sometimes been referred to as "reduced agarics". DNA sequencing shows that this is indeed true for many of the genera sampled, almost all being placed within the 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...
Agaricales
Agaricales
The fungal order Agaricales, also known as gilled mushrooms , or euagarics, contains some of the most familiar types of mushrooms. The order has 33 extant families, 413 genera, and over 13000 described species, along with five extinct genera known only from the fossil record...
.
Description and genera
Fruit bodies of the cyphelloid fungi are typically small (under 10 mm across), disc-shaped, cup-shaped, or tube-like, with or without a stem. The spore-bearing surface is smooth and formed on the surface of the disc, or inside the cup or tube. The sterile outer surface is smooth or often hairy, the hairs sometimes forming a conspicuous margin to discs. Fruit bodies typically occur in troops or swarms, sometimes packed closely together.Better known cyphelloid genera include Calyptella
Calyptella
Calyptella is a genus of fungus in the Marasmiaceae family of mushrooms. The genus has a widespread distribution and contains 20 species.-Species:*Calyptella australis*Calyptella bakeriana*Calyptella bonairensis*Calyptella campanula...
, with stalked, cup- or bell-like fruit bodies; Lachnella
Lachnella
Lachnella is a genus of fungi in the Niaceae family. The genus has a widespread distribution and contains six species....
, with conspicuous, hairy-margined, disc-like fruit bodies; Flagelloscypha
Flagelloscypha
Flagelloscypha is a genus of fungi in the Niaceae family. The genus has a widespread distribution and contains 25 species....
with smaller, but equally hairy, cup-like fruit bodies; Henningsomyces
Henningsomyces
Henningsomyces is a genus of fungus in the Marasmiaceae family. The genus has a widespread distribution and contains about 20 species.-Species:*Henningsomyces candidus*Henningsomyces galapagensis*Henningsomyces mutabilis...
with tube-like fruit bodies; and Merismodes
Merismodes
Merismodes is a genus of fungi in the Niaceae family. The genus has a widespread distribution and contains 20 species....
with clustered, hairy, cup-like fruit bodies.
Habitat and distribution
Most cyphelloid species are wood-rotting fungi, growing on dead attached branches, on old bark of living trees, or on fallen wood. Some are found on dead or decaying herbaceous stems or on ferns. Two species are marine fungi, the salt-tolerant Calathella mangrovei and Halocyphina villosa occurring on mangroves.As a group, the cyphelloid fungi are cosmopolitan, though (as with most fungi) better studied and better known in north temperate regions.