Vuilleminiaceae
Encyclopedia
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
.
in 1902, but the name "Vuilleminiacaeae" was not published till 1907 when Johannes Paulus Lotsy adopted Maire's concepts for his work on fungal systematics
. As originally conceived, the family accommodated species within the corticioid fungi
having "chiastic" basidia (basidia with nuclear spindles arranged transversely), thought to be a primitive character linking the Vuilleminiaceae with the Tulasnellaceae
and the Tremellales
. The family was not, however, widely adopted, most mycological texts preferring to place all corticioid fungi (including Vuilleminia
species) in the Corticiaceae
.
The latter name was, however, not published till 1910, making the Vuilleminiaceae an earlier name for the group, as noted by Jülich in 1981. As a result, the Corticiaceae was conserved
against the Vuilleminiaceae under the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature, but this suppression of the name only applies if the two families are considered identical.
of corticioid fungi distinct from the Corticiaceae. At present, the family only contains species of the genera Australovuilleminia
, Cytidia
, and Vuilleminia
.
, Cytidia and Vuilleminia species being found in the northern hemisphere and Australovuilleminia species in the southern. Only 12 species are currently included within the family.
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...
Corticiales
Corticiales
The Corticiales are an order of fungi in the class Agaricomycetes. The order is mostly composed of corticioid fungi, but also includes one anomalous agaricoid species, Marchandiomphalina foliacea. Species within the order are generally saprotrophic, most of them wood-rotters, but several are...
. The family in its current sense is based on molecular research
Molecular phylogeny
Molecular phylogenetics is the analysis of hereditary molecular differences, mainly in DNA sequences, to gain information on an organism's evolutionary relationships. The result of a molecular phylogenetic analysis is expressed in a phylogenetic tree...
and contains just three 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...
of temperate
Temperate
In geography, temperate or tepid latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally relatively moderate, rather than extreme hot or cold...
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...
.
History
The concept of the family was introduced by French mycologist René MaireRené Maire
René Charles Joseph Ernest Maire was a French botanist and mycologist. His major work was the Flore de l'Afrique du Nord in 16 volumes published posthumously in 1953. He collected plants from Algeria, Morocco, France, and Mali for the herbarium of the National Botanic Garden of Belgium.- Biography...
in 1902, but the name "Vuilleminiacaeae" was not published till 1907 when Johannes Paulus Lotsy adopted Maire's concepts for his work on fungal systematics
Systematics
Biological systematics is the study of the diversification of terrestrial life, both past and present, and the relationships among living things through time. Relationships are visualized as evolutionary trees...
. As originally conceived, the family accommodated species within 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...
having "chiastic" basidia (basidia with nuclear spindles arranged transversely), thought to be a primitive character linking the Vuilleminiaceae with the Tulasnellaceae
Tulasnellaceae
The Tulasnellaceae are a family of fungi in the order Cantharellales. The family comprises mainly effused fungi formerly referred to the "jelly fungi" or heterobasidiomycetes...
and 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...
. The family was not, however, widely adopted, most mycological texts preferring to place all corticioid fungi (including Vuilleminia
Vuilleminia
Vuilleminia is a genus of corticioid fungi in the family Corticiaceae. According to a 2008 estimate, the genus contains 10 species which collectively have a widespread distribution.-Species:*Vuilleminia alni*Vuilleminia comedens...
species) in 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 latter name was, however, not published till 1910, making the Vuilleminiaceae an earlier name for the group, as noted by Jülich in 1981. As a result, the Corticiaceae was conserved
Conserved name
A conserved name or nomen conservandum is a scientific name that has specific nomenclatural protection. Nomen conservandum is a Latin term, meaning a "name which should be conserved"...
against the Vuilleminiaceae under the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature, but this suppression of the name only applies if the two families are considered identical.
Current status
Molecular research, based on cladistic analysis of DNA sequences, has resurrected and redefined the Vuilleminiaceae for a small cladeClade
A clade is a group consisting of a species and all its descendants. In the terms of biological systematics, a clade is a single "branch" on the "tree of life". The idea that such a "natural group" of organisms should be grouped together and given a taxonomic name is central to biological...
of corticioid fungi distinct from the Corticiaceae. At present, the family only contains species of the genera Australovuilleminia
Australovuilleminia
Australovuilleminia is a genus of fungus in the family Corticiaceae. The monotypic genus was described in 2010 to contain the corticioid species Australovuilleminia coccinea from New Zealand, formerly known as Vuillemnia comedens....
, Cytidia
Cytidia
Cytidia is a genus of fungi in the family Corticiaceae. The genus contains five widely distributed species....
, and Vuilleminia
Vuilleminia
Vuilleminia is a genus of corticioid fungi in the family Corticiaceae. According to a 2008 estimate, the genus contains 10 species which collectively have a widespread distribution.-Species:*Vuilleminia alni*Vuilleminia comedens...
.
Habitat and distribution
All fungi within the family are wood-rotting saprotrophs, growing on dead attached branches of trees and shrubs. Distribution is exclusively temperateTemperate
In geography, temperate or tepid latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally relatively moderate, rather than extreme hot or cold...
, Cytidia and Vuilleminia species being found in the northern hemisphere and Australovuilleminia species in the southern. Only 12 species are currently included within the family.