Banksiamyces toomansis is a species of fungus

Fungus

A fungus is a member of a large group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds , as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, Fungi, which is separate from plants, animals, and bacteria...

 in the Helotiaceae family. It was first described as Tympanis toomansis by Miles Joseph Berkeley

Miles Joseph Berkeley

Miles Joseph Berkeley was an English cryptogamist and clergyman, and one of the founders of the science of plant pathology....

 and Christopher Edmund Broome

Christopher Edmund Broome

Christopher Edmund Broome was a British mycologist.-Background and education:C.E. Broome was born in Berkhamsted, the son of a solicitor. He was privately schooled in Kensington and in 1832 was sent to read for Holy Orders with the curate of Swaffham Prior in Cambridgeshire...

 in 1886, and transferred to the genus Encoelia

Encoelia

Encoelia is a genus of fungi in the family Sclerotiniaceae.-External links:*...

in 1957 by R.W.G. Dennis. Gordon William Beaton transferred it to Banksiamyces

Banksiamyces

Banksiamyces is a genus of fungi in the Helotiales order, with a tentative placement in the family Helotiaceae. The genus contains four species, which grow on the seed follicles of the dead "cones" of various species of Banksia, a genus in the plant family Proteaceae endemic to Australia...

in 1982. The fungus grows on dead Banksia

Banksia

Banksia is a genus of around 170 species in the plant family Proteaceae. These Australian wildflowers and popular garden plants are easily recognised by their characteristic flower spikes and fruiting "cones" and heads. When it comes to size, banksias range from prostrate woody shrubs to trees up...

cones, and has a distribution limited to Australia.

The type collection of B. toomansis was found on a cone of Banksia marginata

Banksia marginata

Banksia marginata, commonly known as the Silver Banksia, is a species of tree or woody shrub in the plant genus Banksia found throughout much of southeastern Australia. It ranges from the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia, to north of Armidale, New South Wales, and across Tasmania and the islands...

on the banks of the Tooma River

Tooma River

The Tooma River is a river in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales, Australia.The Tooma River starts near Mount Jagungal in the Snowy Mountains and drains part of the western side of the range...

 of New South Wales

New South Wales

New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...

. It has also been recovered from a cone of Banksia sphaerocarpa

Banksia sphaerocarpa

Banksia sphaerocarpa, commonly known as the Fox Banksia or Round-fruit Banksia, is a species of shrub or tree in the plant genus Banksia . It is generally encountered as a 1–2 m high shrub, and is usually smaller in the north of its range...

from near Busselton in Western Australia, B. nutans

Banksia nutans

Banksia nutans, commonly known as Nodding Banksia, is a species of shrub native to the south coast of Western Australia in the genus Banksia...

, B. pulchella

Banksia pulchella

The Teasel Banksia is a species of small shrub in the plant genus Banksia. It occurs on the south coast of Western Australia from Fitzgerald River National Park east to Israelite Bay....

, B. speciosa

Banksia speciosa

The Showy Banksia is a species of large shrub or small tree in the plant genus Banksia. It reaches up to 8 m in height...

, and B. occidentalis

Banksia occidentalis

The Red Swamp Banksia or Waterbush is a species of shrub or small tree in the plant genus Banksia. It occurs on the south coast of Western Australia in three disjunct populations: at Augusta, around Albany and in the Esperance area.A 1980 field study at Cheyne beach showed it to be pollinated by...

, all from Mount Merivale, 20 km (12.4 mi) east of Esperance, B. baxteri

Banksia baxteri

The Baxter's Banksia , also known as Bird's Nest Banksia, is a species of shrub in the plant genus Banksia. It occurs along the south coast of Western Australia between Albany and Esperance....

cultivated at Cranbourne Botanic Gardens

Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne, is a division of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne. It is located in the Melbourne suburb of Cranbourne, about 45 km south-east of the Melbourne city centre....

, B. integrifolia from the Blue Mountains, and B. marginata from Kangaroo Island. Synonyms

Synonym (taxonomy)

In scientific nomenclature, a synonym is a scientific name that is or was used for a taxon of organisms that also goes by a different scientific name. For example, Linnaeus was the first to give a scientific name to the Norway spruce, which he called Pinus abies...

 include Tympanis toomansis Berk. & Br., and Encoelia toomansis (Berk. & Br.). Its ascospore

Ascospore

An ascospore is a spore contained in an ascus or that was produced inside an ascus. This kind of spore is specific to fungi classified as ascomycetes ....

s can range in shape from elliptical to cylindrical, and have dimensions of 6–10 by 2.5–3 µm

Micrometre

A micrometer , is by definition 1×10-6 of a meter .In plain English, it means one-millionth of a meter . Its unit symbol in the International System of Units is μm...

.