Ceratobasidiaceae
Encyclopedia
The Ceratobasidiaceae are a family
of fungi in the order
Cantharellales
. All species
within the family have basidiocarps (fruit bodies) that are thin and effused. They have sometimes been included within the corticioid fungi
or alternatively within the "heterobasidiomycetes". Species are saprotrophic, but some are also facultative
plant pathogens or are associated with orchid mycorrhiza
. Genera of economic importance include Ceratobasidium
and Thanatephorus (anamorph Rhizoctonia
), both of which contain plant pathogenic species causing diseases of commercial crops and turf grass.
with heterobasidiomycete features (elongated sterigmata and basidiospores that give rise to secondary spores). He restricted the Ceratobasidiaceae to the genus Ceratobasidium
, though including within the genus species later placed in Thanatephorus and Oliveonia. In 1981, Jülich created the order
Ceratobasidiales to accommodate the family. By 1995, the order and the family contained 18 genera, including Ceratobasidium, Heteroacanthella, Oliveonia, Scotomyces, Thanatephorus, and their various synonyms and anamorphs.
. The genera Heteroacanthella and Oliveonia are not closely related to the Ceratobasidiaceae, but have been placed in the Auriculariales
. No species of the genus Scotomyces has yet been sequenced.
Research on the septal pore ultrastructure
of the little-known and atypical type species, Ceratobasidium calosporum, indicates that it is a member of the Auriculariales
and is unrelated to other species of Ceratobasidium. Technically, this means that the Ceratobasidiaceae belong within the Auriculariales, but this is a taxonomic problem that has yet to be resolved.
or from diseased crops and turf grass. Distribution appears to be cosmopolitan
.
) are opportunistic parasites of plants, causing a variety of economically important diseases of crops.
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...
of fungi in 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...
Cantharellales
Cantharellales
The Cantharellales are an order of fungi in the class Agaricomycetes. The order includes not only the chanterelles , but also some of the tooth fungi , clavarioid fungi , and corticioid fungi...
. All species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
within the family have basidiocarps (fruit bodies) that are thin and effused. They have sometimes been included 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...
or alternatively within the "heterobasidiomycetes". Species are saprotrophic, but some are also facultative
Facultative
Facultative means "optional" or "discretionary" , used mainly in biology in phrases such as:* Facultative anaerobe, an organism that can use oxygen but also has anaerobic methods of energy production...
plant pathogens or are associated with orchid mycorrhiza
Orchid mycorrhiza
Orchid mycorrhizae are symbiotic relationships between the roots of plants of the family Orchidaceae and a variety of fungi. All orchids are myco-heterotrophic at some point in their life cycle. Orchid mycorrhizae are critically important during orchid germination, as orchid seed has virtually no...
. Genera of economic importance include Ceratobasidium
Ceratobasidium
Ceratobasidium is a genus of fungi in the order Cantharellales. Basidiocarps are effused and the genus is sometimes grouped among the corticioid fungi, though species also retain features of the heterobasidiomycetes. Rhizoctonia-like anamorphs of Ceratobasidium species are placed in the genus...
and Thanatephorus (anamorph Rhizoctonia
Rhizoctonia
Rhizoctonia is a genus of anamorphic fungi in the order Cantharellales. Species do not produce spores, but are composed of hyphae and sclerotia and are asexual states of fungi in the genus Thanatephorus. Rhizoctonia species are saprotrophic, but are also facultative plant pathogens, causing...
), both of which contain plant pathogenic species causing diseases of commercial crops and turf grass.
Taxonomy
The family was created in 1948 by American mycologist G.W. Martin to accommodate species of corticioid fungiCorticioid 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...
with heterobasidiomycete features (elongated sterigmata and basidiospores that give rise to secondary spores). He restricted the Ceratobasidiaceae to the genus Ceratobasidium
Ceratobasidium
Ceratobasidium is a genus of fungi in the order Cantharellales. Basidiocarps are effused and the genus is sometimes grouped among the corticioid fungi, though species also retain features of the heterobasidiomycetes. Rhizoctonia-like anamorphs of Ceratobasidium species are placed in the genus...
, though including within the genus species later placed in Thanatephorus and Oliveonia. In 1981, Jülich created 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...
Ceratobasidiales to accommodate the family. By 1995, the order and the family contained 18 genera, including Ceratobasidium, Heteroacanthella, Oliveonia, Scotomyces, Thanatephorus, and their various synonyms and anamorphs.
Current status
Molecular research, based on cladistic analysis of DNA sequences, has now shown that the Ceratobasidiaceae do not belong to a separate order, but are part of the CantharellalesCantharellales
The Cantharellales are an order of fungi in the class Agaricomycetes. The order includes not only the chanterelles , but also some of the tooth fungi , clavarioid fungi , and corticioid fungi...
. The genera Heteroacanthella and Oliveonia are not closely related to the Ceratobasidiaceae, but have been placed in the Auriculariales
Auriculariales
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 that produce spores on septate basidia...
. No species of the genus Scotomyces has yet been sequenced.
Research on the septal pore 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 little-known and atypical type species, Ceratobasidium calosporum, indicates that it is a member of the Auriculariales
Auriculariales
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 that produce spores on septate basidia...
and is unrelated to other species of Ceratobasidium. Technically, this means that the Ceratobasidiaceae belong within the Auriculariales, but this is a taxonomic problem that has yet to be resolved.
Habitat and distribution
Species are mainly saprotrophic, occurring in the soil and producing fruit bodies on dead stems and plant detritus. Some occur on attached leaves and stems. Several species have been isolated from orchid mycorrhizaOrchid mycorrhiza
Orchid mycorrhizae are symbiotic relationships between the roots of plants of the family Orchidaceae and a variety of fungi. All orchids are myco-heterotrophic at some point in their life cycle. Orchid mycorrhizae are critically important during orchid germination, as orchid seed has virtually no...
or from diseased crops and turf grass. Distribution appears to be 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...
.
Economic importance
Several species of Ceratobasidium and Thanatephorus (including its anamorph RhizoctoniaRhizoctonia
Rhizoctonia is a genus of anamorphic fungi in the order Cantharellales. Species do not produce spores, but are composed of hyphae and sclerotia and are asexual states of fungi in the genus Thanatephorus. Rhizoctonia species are saprotrophic, but are also facultative plant pathogens, causing...
) are opportunistic parasites of plants, causing a variety of economically important diseases of crops.