Auriculariales
Encyclopedia
The Auriculariales are an order
of fungi in the class
Agaricomycetes
. Species within the order were formerly referred to the "heterobasidiomycetes" or "jelly fungi", since many have gelatinous basidiocarps (fruit bodies) that produce spores on septate basidia. Around 200 species are known worldwide, placed in six or more families
, though the status of these families is currently uncertain. All species in the Auriculariales 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.
to accommodate species of fungi having "auricularioid" basidia (more or less cylindrical basidia with lateral septa), including many of the rusts
and smuts
. In 1922, British mycologist Carleton Rea
recognized the order as containing the families Auriculariaceae
and Ecchynaceae, as well as the rusts (Coleosporiaceae
and Pucciniaceae
) and the smuts (Ustilaginaceae
). Many subsequent authors, however, separated out the rusts and smuts and amalgamated the remaining Auriculariales with the Tremellales
. Jülich (1981) also separated out the rusts and smuts, but recognized the remaining Auriculariales as an independent order, placing within them the families Auriculariaceae, Cystobasidiaceae, Paraphelariaceae, Saccoblastiaceae, Ecchynaceae, Hoehnelomycetaceae, and Patouillardinaceae.
A radical revision was undertaken in 1984, when American mycologist Robert Bandoni used transmission electron microscopy
to investigate the ultrastructure
of the septal pore apparatus in the Auriculariales. This revealed that species of fungi with "auricularioid" basidia were not necessarily closely related and that Auricularia
had more in common with Exidia
and its allies (with "tremelloid" basidia), than with other auricularioid fungi. Bandoni therefore amended the Auriculariales to include the family Auriculariaceae
(with auricularioid basidia) together with the families Exidiaceae, Aporpiaceae, Hyaloriaceae
, and Sebacinaceae (with tremelloid basidia). This revision was accepted by Wells (1994) who, however, amalgamated the Aporpiaceae and Hyaloriaceae and added the families Patouillardinaceae (with diagonally septate basidia) and Tremellodendropsidaceae (with partly septate basidia). Roberts (1998) subsequently added the family Oliveoniaceae (with non-septate basidia).
. The status of the constituent families has not yet been examined, but a clade containing Auricularia and Exidia species equates to the Auriculariaceae, whilst another containing Hyaloria and Myxarium species equates to the Hyaloriaceae.
(as in the genus Pseudohydnum
), or poroid
(as in the genera Elmerina and Protomerulius
). Some species, however, produce dry, leathery, or web-like fruit bodies resembling those of the corticioid fungi
. A few species in the genus Tremellodendropsis produce clavarioid
(club or coral-like) fruit bodies.
and Tremellodendropsis species) are normally found on the ground. As a group, their distribution is cosmopolitan
. According to a 2008 estimate, the Auriculariales contain 32 genera
and around 200 species.
and A. cornea, are cultivated on a commercial scale, particularly in China and southeast Asia. They are widely exported, in a dried or powdered state, as "black fungus", "cloud ears", or "wood ears".
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...
. Species within the order were formerly referred to the "heterobasidiomycetes" or "jelly fungi", since many have gelatinous basidiocarps (fruit bodies) that produce spores on septate basidia. Around 200 species are known worldwide, placed in six or more 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...
, though the status of these families is currently uncertain. All species in the Auriculariales are believed to be saprotrophic, most growing on dead wood. Fruit bodies of several Auricularia
Auricularia
Auricularia is a genus of jelly fungi in the family Auriculariaceae. There are about eight species described in this genus, which has a widespread distribution.-Classification:...
species are cultivated for food on a commercial scale, especially in China.
History
The order was established in 1889 by German mycologist Joseph SchröterJoseph Schröter
Joseph Schröter was a noted German mycologist, doctor and scientist. During his lifetime, he wrote several books and texts, and discovered and described many species of flora and fungi...
to accommodate species of fungi having "auricularioid" basidia (more or less cylindrical basidia with lateral septa), including many of the rusts
Rust (fungus)
Rusts are plant diseases caused by pathogenic fungi of the order Pucciniales. About 7800 species are known. Rusts can affect a variety of plants; leaves, stems, fruits and seeds. Rust is most commonly seen as coloured powder, composed off tiny aeciospores which land on vegetation producing...
and smuts
Smut (fungus)
The smuts are multicellular fungi, that are characterized by their large numbers of teliospores. The smuts get their name from a Germanic word for dirt because of their dark, thick-walled and dust-like teliospores. They are mostly Ustilaginomycetes and can cause plant disease...
. In 1922, British mycologist Carleton Rea
Carleton Rea
Carleton Rea was an English mycologist, botanist, and naturalist.-Background and education:Carleton Rea was born in Worcester, the son of the City Coroner. He was educated at The King's School and Magdalen College, Oxford, where he studied law...
recognized the order as containing the families Auriculariaceae
Auriculariaceae
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...
and Ecchynaceae, as well as the rusts (Coleosporiaceae
Coleosporiaceae
The Coleosporiaceae are a family of rust fungi in the order Pucciniales. The family contains 6 genera and 131 species....
and Pucciniaceae
Pucciniaceae
The Pucciniaceae are a family of rust fungi that cause plant diseases, mainly on cereals such as wheat. The family contains 20 genera and over 4900 species....
) and the smuts (Ustilaginaceae
Ustilaginaceae
The Ustilaginaceae are a family of smut fungi in the order Ustilaginomycetes. Collectively, the family contains 17 genera and 607 species....
). Many subsequent authors, however, separated out the rusts and smuts and amalgamated the remaining Auriculariales with the Tremellales
Tremellales
The Tremellales are an order of fungi in the class Tremellomycetes. The order contains both teleomorphic and anamorphic species, most of the latter being yeasts. All teleomorphic species in the Tremellales are parasites of other fungi, though the yeast states are widespread and not restricted to...
. Jülich (1981) also separated out the rusts and smuts, but recognized the remaining Auriculariales as an independent order, placing within them the families Auriculariaceae, Cystobasidiaceae, Paraphelariaceae, Saccoblastiaceae, Ecchynaceae, Hoehnelomycetaceae, and Patouillardinaceae.
A radical revision was undertaken in 1984, when American mycologist Robert Bandoni used transmission electron microscopy
Transmission electron microscopy
Transmission electron microscopy is a microscopy technique whereby a beam of electrons is transmitted through an ultra thin specimen, interacting with the specimen as it passes through...
to investigate the ultrastructure
Ultrastructure
Ultrastructure is the detailed structure of a biological specimen, such as a cell, tissue, or organ, that can be observed by electron microscopy...
of the septal pore apparatus in the Auriculariales. This revealed that species of fungi with "auricularioid" basidia were not necessarily closely related and that Auricularia
Auricularia
Auricularia is a genus of jelly fungi in the family Auriculariaceae. There are about eight species described in this genus, which has a widespread distribution.-Classification:...
had more in common with Exidia
Exidia
Exidia is a genus of fungi in the family Auriculariaceae. Species are saprotrophic, growing on dead attached or recently fallen wood, and produce gelatinous basidiocarps . The fruit bodies are variously pustular, lobed, button-shaped, or top-shaped...
and its allies (with "tremelloid" basidia), than with other auricularioid fungi. Bandoni therefore amended the Auriculariales to include the family Auriculariaceae
Auriculariaceae
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...
(with auricularioid basidia) together with the families Exidiaceae, Aporpiaceae, Hyaloriaceae
Hyaloriaceae
The Hyaloriaceae are a family of fungi in the order Auriculariales. Species within the family have gelatinous basidiocarps that produce spores on septate basidia and, as such, were formerly referred to the "heterobasidiomycetes" or "jelly fungi". All appear to be saprotrophic, growing on dead wood...
, and Sebacinaceae (with tremelloid basidia). This revision was accepted by Wells (1994) who, however, amalgamated the Aporpiaceae and Hyaloriaceae and added the families Patouillardinaceae (with diagonally septate basidia) and Tremellodendropsidaceae (with partly septate basidia). Roberts (1998) subsequently added the family Oliveoniaceae (with non-septate basidia).
Current status
Molecular research, based on cladistic analysis of DNA sequences, has substantially supported Bandoni's revised circumscription of the Auriculariales, but has moved the Sebacinaceae to their own separate order, the SebacinalesSebacinales
The Sebacinales are an order of fungi in the class Agaricomycetes. Taxa have a widespread distribution and are mostly terrestrial, many forming mycorrhizas with a wide variety of plants, including orchids. The order is monotypic, containing a single family, the Sebacinaceae. There are 8 genera and...
. The status of the constituent families has not yet been examined, but a clade containing Auricularia and Exidia species equates to the Auriculariaceae, whilst another containing Hyaloria and Myxarium species equates to the Hyaloriaceae.
Description
The majority of species within the Auriculariales produce gelatinous basidiocarps (fruit bodies) on dead wood. In some these are conspicuous and may be ear-shaped, button-shaped, lobed, or effused. Their hymenophores (spore-bearing surfaces) may be smooth, warted, veined, toothedHydnoid fungi
The hydnoid fungi are a group of fungi in the Basidiomycota with basidiocarps producing spores on pendant, tooth-like or spine-like projections. They are colloquially called tooth fungi...
(as in the genus Pseudohydnum
Pseudohydnum
Pseudohydnum is a genus of fungi in the order Auriculariales. The genus, first described by mycologist Petter Adolf Karsten in 1868, has not been classified with certainty into a family, and so is incertae sedis with respect to familial placement. Pseudohydnum is monotypic, containing only the...
), or poroid
Polypore
Polypores are a group of tough, leathery poroid mushrooms similar to boletes, but typically lacking a distinct stalk. The technical distinction between the two types of mushrooms is that polypores do not have the spore-bearing tissue continuous along the entire underside of the mushroom. Many...
(as in the genera Elmerina and Protomerulius
Protomerulius
Protomerulius is a genus of fungi in the order Auriculariales. The genus is estimated to contain about four species....
). Some species, however, produce dry, leathery, or web-like fruit bodies resembling those of the 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...
. A few species in the genus Tremellodendropsis produce clavarioid
Clavarioid fungi
The clavarioid fungi are a group of fungi in the Basidiomycota typically having erect, simple or branched basidiocarps that are formed on the ground, on decaying vegetation, or on dead wood. They are colloquially called club fungi and coral fungi...
(club or coral-like) fruit bodies.
Distribution and habitat
All species within the Auriculariales are thought to be saprotrophs, most of them wood-rotters. They are typically found on dead attached or fallen wood, though a few (GuepiniaGuepinia
Guepinia is a genus of fungus in the Auriculariales order. It is a monotypic genus, containing the single species Guepinia helvelloides, commonly known as the apricot jelly. The fungus produces salmon-pink, ear-shaped, gelatinous fruit bodies that grow solitarily or in small tufted groups on soil,...
and Tremellodendropsis species) are normally found on the ground. As a group, their distribution 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...
. According to a 2008 estimate, the Auriculariales contain 32 genera
Genera
Genera is a commercial operating system and development environment for Lisp machines developed by Symbolics. It is essentially a fork of an earlier operating system originating on the MIT AI Lab's Lisp machines which Symbolics had used in common with LMI and Texas Instruments...
and around 200 species.
Economic importance
Several species within the order are edible and two, Auricularia auricula-judaeAuricularia auricula-judae
Auricularia auricula-judae, known as the Jew's ear, jelly ear or by a number of other common names, is a species of edible Auriculariales fungus found worldwide. The fruiting body is distinguished by its noticeably ear-like shape and brown colouration; it grows upon wood, especially elder...
and A. cornea, are cultivated on a commercial scale, particularly in China and southeast Asia. They are widely exported, in a dried or powdered state, as "black fungus", "cloud ears", or "wood ears".