Clavarioid fungi
Encyclopedia
The clavarioid fungi are a group of fungi in the Basidiomycota
typically having erect, simple or branched basidiocarps (fruit bodies) that are formed on the ground, on decaying vegetation, or on dead wood. They are colloquially called club fungi and coral fungi. Originally such fungi were referred to the genus
Clavaria
("clavarioid" means Clavaria-like), but it is now known that clavarioid species are not all closely related. Since they are often studied as a group, it is convenient to retain the informal (non-taxonomic) name of "clavarioid fungi" and this term is frequently used in research papers.
. Subsequent authors described over 1200 species in the genus. With increasing use of the microscope in the late nineteenth century, most of the ascomycetous members of the genus were recognized as distinct and moved to other genera. Clavaria was still used for the majority of the basidiomycetous species until Donk reviewed Dutch species in 1933 (introducing the genera Clavariadelphus
, Ramariopsis
, and Ramaria
in its modern sense) and Corner
published his world monograph in 1950, introducing most of the remaining modern genera. DNA sequencing has since confirmed the diversity of the clavarioid fungi, not only placing species in different genera, but also in different families and orders.
The largest current genus is Ramaria, containing species with branched fruit bodies and ochre to brownish spores. Clavariadelphus, producing large, club-shaped fruit bodies, is closely related. Clavaria in its modern sense is restricted to white-spored species, many simple, some branched. It is not clearly distinguished from two related genera, Clavulinopsis
and Ramariopsis. The genus Typhula
contains a number of small, sometimes minute species with simple fruit bodies. Smaller genera of clavarioid fungi include Alloclavaria
, Aphelaria, Artomyces
, Chaetotyphula
, Clavariachaete
, Clavicorona
, Clavulina
, Lachnocladium
, Lentaria
, Multiclavula
, Pterula
, and Scytinopogon
.
and grow in association with algae
.
Clavarioid fungi have a worldwide distribution, though some genera — such as Aphelaria and Lachnocladium — are principally tropical.
Basidiomycota
Basidiomycota is one of two large phyla that, together with the Ascomycota, comprise the subkingdom Dikarya within the Kingdom Fungi...
typically having erect, simple or branched basidiocarps (fruit bodies) that are formed on the ground, on decaying vegetation, or on dead wood. They are colloquially called club fungi and coral fungi. Originally such fungi were 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...
Clavaria
Clavaria
Clavaria is a genus of fungi in the family Clavariaceae. Species of Clavaria produce basidiocarps that are either cylindrical to club-shaped or branched and coral-like. They are often grouped with similar-looking species from other genera, when they are collectively known as the clavarioid fungi...
("clavarioid" means Clavaria-like), but it is now known that clavarioid species are not all closely related. Since they are often studied as a group, it is convenient to retain the informal (non-taxonomic) name of "clavarioid fungi" and this term is frequently used in research papers.
History
Clavaria was one of the original genera created by Linnaeus in his Species Plantarum of 1753. It contained all species of fungi with erect, club-shaped or branched (coral-like) fruit bodies, including many that are now referred to the AscomycotaAscomycota
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...
. Subsequent authors described over 1200 species in the genus. With increasing use of the microscope in the late nineteenth century, most of the ascomycetous members of the genus were recognized as distinct and moved to other genera. Clavaria was still used for the majority of the basidiomycetous species until Donk reviewed Dutch species in 1933 (introducing the genera Clavariadelphus
Clavariadelphus
Clavariadelphus is a genus of fungi in the Clavariadelphaceae family. The genus has a widespread distribution in temperate areas, and contains 19 species....
, Ramariopsis
Ramariopsis
Ramariopsis is a genus of fungi in the Clavariaceae family. The genus has a widespread distribution and contains 44 species.- Species :R. agglutinata –R. alutacea –R. antillarum –R. asperulospora –...
, and Ramaria
Ramaria
The genus Ramaria comprises approximately 200 species of coral fungi. Several, such as Ramaria flava, are edible and picked in Europe, though they are easily confused with several mildly poisonous species capable of causing nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea; these include R. formosa and R...
in its modern sense) and Corner
E. J. H. Corner
Edred John Henry Corner FRS was a botanist who occupied the posts of assistant director at the Singapore Botanic Gardens and Professor of Tropical Botany at the University of Cambridge...
published his world monograph in 1950, introducing most of the remaining modern genera. DNA sequencing has since confirmed the diversity of the clavarioid fungi, not only placing species in different genera, but also in different families and orders.
Description and genera
Most clavarioid fungi have simple or branched fruit bodies that are erect (or pendant from wood in the genus Deflexula). The spores are born on the sides of the clubs or branches and the spore-bearing surface is typically smooth or ridged, occasionally warted to weakly spiny.The largest current genus is Ramaria, containing species with branched fruit bodies and ochre to brownish spores. Clavariadelphus, producing large, club-shaped fruit bodies, is closely related. Clavaria in its modern sense is restricted to white-spored species, many simple, some branched. It is not clearly distinguished from two related genera, Clavulinopsis
Clavulinopsis
Clavulinopsis is a genus of fungi in the Clavariaceae family. The genus, first described scientifically by Casper van Overeem in 1923, has a widespread distribution and contains 33 species.-External links:* at Index Fungorum...
and Ramariopsis. The genus Typhula
Typhula
Typhula is a genus of clavarioid fungi in the order Agaricales. Species of Typhula are saprotrophic, mostly decomposing leaves, twigs, and herbaceous material. Basidiocarps are club-shaped or narrowly cylindrical and are simple , often arising from sclerotia. The anamorphic genus Sclerotium is a...
contains a number of small, sometimes minute species with simple fruit bodies. Smaller genera of clavarioid fungi include Alloclavaria
Alloclavaria
Alloclavaria is a clavarioid genus in the Hymenochaetales recently segregated from Clavaria by molecular analysis. Phylogenetically related fungi are in the agaricoid genera Rickenella, Contumyces, Gyroflexus, Loreleia, Cantharellopsis and Blasiphalia, as well as the stipitate stereoid genera...
, Aphelaria, Artomyces
Artomyces
Artomyces is a genus of fungi in the family Auriscalpiaceae. It was circumscribed by Walter Jülich in 1982, who set Artomyces pyxidatus Artomyces is a genus of fungi in the family Auriscalpiaceae. It was circumscribed by Walter Jülich in 1982, who set Artomyces pyxidatus Artomyces is a genus of...
, Chaetotyphula
Chaetotyphula
Chaetotyphula is a genus of fungi in the Pterulaceae family. The genus is distributed largely in tropical areas, and contains seven species....
, Clavariachaete
Clavariachaete
Clavariachaete is a genus of fungi in the family Hymenochaetaceae.-External links:*...
, Clavicorona
Clavicorona
Clavicorona is a genus of mushrooms in the family Auriscalpiaceae. The genus was first described by Doty in 1947.-External links:* at Index Fungorum...
, Clavulina
Clavulina
Clavulina is a genus of fungi in the family Clavulinaceae. Species are characterized by having extensively branched fruit bodies. The genus contains approximately 45 species with a worldwide distribution, primarily in tropical regions.-Species:...
, Lachnocladium
Lachnocladium
Lachnocladium is a genus of fungi in the Lachnocladiaceae family. The genus contains five species that collectively have a widespread distribution.-External links:* at Index Fungorum...
, Lentaria
Lentaria
Lentaria is a genus of fungi in the Lentariaceae family. The genus has a widespread distribution and contains 17 species.-Species:*Lentaria afflata*Lentaria boletosporioides*Lentaria byssiseda*Lentaria caribbeana*Lentaria epichnoa...
, Multiclavula
Multiclavula
Multiclavula is a genus of fungi in the family Clavulinaceae. The widespread genus contains 13 species.-Species:*M. calocera*M. clara*M. constans*M. coronilla*M. corynoides*M. delicata*M. fossicola*M. hastula...
, Pterula
Pterula
Pterula is a genus of fungi in the Pterulaceae family. The genus has a widespread distribution, especially in tropical regions, and contains about 50 species....
, and Scytinopogon
Scytinopogon
Scytinopogon is a genus of fungi in the Clavariaceae family. The genus, circumscribed by mycologist Rolf Singer in 1945, contains four species found in Europe....
.
Habitat and distribution
Most clavarioid fungi are saprotrophic with a terrestrial habit, growing in woodland leaf litter or in mossy grassland. A few grow on wood or on decaying herbaceous stems and fallen leaves. Some species, particularly in the genera Clavulina and Ramaria, are known to be ectomycorrhizal (forming a beneficial association with the roots of living trees). A few species in the genus Multiclavula are lichenizedLichen
Lichens are composite organisms consisting of a symbiotic organism composed of a fungus with a photosynthetic partner , usually either a green alga or cyanobacterium...
and grow in association with algae
Algae
Algae are a large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms, such as the giant kelps that grow to 65 meters in length. They are photosynthetic like plants, and "simple" because their tissues are not organized into the many...
.
Clavarioid fungi have a worldwide distribution, though some genera — such as Aphelaria and Lachnocladium — are principally tropical.