Rickenella
Encyclopedia
Rickenella is a genus
of brightly colored bryophilous agaric
s in the Hymenochaetales
that have an omphalinoid
morphology. They inhabit moss
es on mossy soils, peats, tree trunks and logs in temperate regions of both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Phylogenetically related agarics are in the genera Contumyces
, Gyroflexus
, Loreleia
, Cantharellopsis
and Blasiphalia
, as well as the stipitate-stereoid genera Muscinupta
and Cotylidia
. and the clavaroid genus, Alloclavaria
. Rickenella is most similar to Contumyces and Blasiphalia, from the former differing by having its cystidia on the pileus, stipe, and hymenium solitary and scattered. The hair-like cystidia on the pileus and stipe give the small mushrooms a fuzzy appearance when viewed through a magnifying glass or hand lens. This helps to distinguish the genus from genera like Loreleia, which can be orange colored and inhabits similar sites, as well as other brightly pigmented omphalinoid genera. Rickenella does not produce massive clasping, hand-like appresoria on the rhizoids of its host, as does Blasiphalia. Instead, Rickenella produces a small appresorium or no appresoria and penetrates the rhizoids of its moss hosts, growing within the cells.
Blasiphalia
is a recent segregate of Rickenella.
, author of "Die Blätterpilze (Agaricaceae) (1915) Deutschlands und der angrenzenden Länder, besonders Oesterreichs und der Schweiz".
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...
of brightly colored bryophilous agaric
Agaric
An agaric is a type of fungal fruiting body characterized by the presence of a pileus that is clearly differentiated from the stipe , with lamellae on the underside of the pileus. "Agaric" can also refer to a basidiomycete species characterized by an agaric-type fruiting body...
s in the Hymenochaetales
Hymenochaetales
The Hymenochaetales are an order of fungi in the class Agaricomycetes. The order in its current sense is based on molecular research and not on any unifying morphological characteristics. According to one 2008 estimate, the Hymenochaetales contain around 600 species worldwide, mostly corticioid...
that have an omphalinoid
Omphalina
Omphalina is a genus of small agarics with white, nonamyloid, basidiospores and decurrent gills. Typically the cap has a deep central depression giving the umbrella-like to funnel-shaped cap the appearance of a belly button, or a belly with a navel...
morphology. They inhabit moss
Moss
Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...
es on mossy soils, peats, tree trunks and logs in temperate regions of both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Phylogenetically related agarics are in the genera Contumyces
Contumyces
Contumyces is a genus of brightly colored bryophilous agarics in the Hymenochaetales that have an omphalinoid morphology, and therefore were previously classified in Omphalina. They inhabit mossy silty or sandy soils in the Northern Hemisphere...
, Gyroflexus
Gyroflexus
A monotypic genus with a yellowish-ivory colored omphalinoid agaric in the Hymenochaetales that grows on living Sphagnum Phylogenetically related agarics are in the genera Rickenella, Blasiphalia, Loreleia, Cantharellopsis and Contumyces, as well as the stipitate-stereoid genera Muscinupta and ...
, Loreleia
Loreleia
Loreleia is a genus of brightly colored agarics in the Hymenochaetales that have an omphalinoid morphology. They inhabit mosses and or liverworts on soil in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...
, Cantharellopsis
Cantharellopsis
Cantharellopsis is a tan- to whitish-colored bryophilous monotypic genus in the Agaricales. The fruit bodies of the single species Cantharellus prescottii has a form intermediate between an Omphalina and a chanterelle because of its forked, fold-like gills. It inhabits moss on calcareous soils in...
and Blasiphalia
Blasiphalia
Blasiphalia is a monotypic genus with a honey colored omphalinoid agaric in the Hymenochaetales that grows with the liverwort genus Blasia Phylogenetically related agarics are in the genera Rickenella, Gyroflexus, Loreleia, Cantharellopsis and Contumyces, as well as the stipitate-stereoid genera...
, as well as the stipitate-stereoid genera Muscinupta
Muscinupta
Muscinupta is a fungal genus that produces small white delicate fan-shaped to cupulate fruitbodies on mosses. It is monotypic, containing the single species Muscinupta laevis...
and Cotylidia
Cotylidia
Cotylidia is a fungal genus characterized by small to moderately sized, white to palely- yet brightly-colored, stalked, fan-shaped to funnel-shaped fruitbodies with a smooth to wrinkled hymenium, tissues composed of monomitic hyphae, basidia producing smooth, nonamyloid spores, the absence of...
. and the clavaroid genus, 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...
. Rickenella is most similar to Contumyces and Blasiphalia, from the former differing by having its cystidia on the pileus, stipe, and hymenium solitary and scattered. The hair-like cystidia on the pileus and stipe give the small mushrooms a fuzzy appearance when viewed through a magnifying glass or hand lens. This helps to distinguish the genus from genera like Loreleia, which can be orange colored and inhabits similar sites, as well as other brightly pigmented omphalinoid genera. Rickenella does not produce massive clasping, hand-like appresoria on the rhizoids of its host, as does Blasiphalia. Instead, Rickenella produces a small appresorium or no appresoria and penetrates the rhizoids of its moss hosts, growing within the cells.
Blasiphalia
Blasiphalia
Blasiphalia is a monotypic genus with a honey colored omphalinoid agaric in the Hymenochaetales that grows with the liverwort genus Blasia Phylogenetically related agarics are in the genera Rickenella, Gyroflexus, Loreleia, Cantharellopsis and Contumyces, as well as the stipitate-stereoid genera...
is a recent segregate of Rickenella.
Etymology
Rickenella was named after the German mycologist, Adalbert RickenAdalbert Ricken
Adalbert Ricken was a German Roman Catholic priest and mycologist who was a native of Fulda.He attended the seminary for Roman Catholic priests in Fulda, and afterwards was a priest and chaplain in several locations in the Fulda diocese...
, author of "Die Blätterpilze (Agaricaceae) (1915) Deutschlands und der angrenzenden Länder, besonders Oesterreichs und der Schweiz".