Basidiolichens are

lichen A lichen ( , ) is a composite organism that arises from algae or cyanobacteria living among filaments of multiple fungi species in a mutualistic relationship.Basidiomycota Basidiomycota () is one of two large divisions that, together with the Ascomycota, constitute the subkingdom Dikarya (often referred to as the "higher fungi") within the kingdom Fungi. Members are known as basidiomycetes. More specifically, Bas ...

, a much smaller group of lichens than the far more common ascolichens in the

Ascomycota Ascomycota is a phylum of the kingdom Fungi that, together with the Basidiomycota, forms the subkingdom Dikarya. Its members are commonly known as the sac fungi or ascomycetes. It is the largest phylum of Fungi, with over 64,000 species. The defi ...

. In arctic, alpine, and temperate forests, the most common basidiolichens are in the

agaric An agaric () is a type of fungus fruiting body characterized by the presence of a pileus (cap) that is clearly differentiated from the stipe (stalk), with lamellae (gills) on the underside of the pileus. In the UK, agarics are called "mushroom ...

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

'' Lichenomphalia'' (including former members of ''

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 ...

'' or ''

Gerronema ''Gerronema'' is a genus of small- to medium-sized lignicolous agarics with white, nonamyloid, spores and decurrent gills. The genus was circumscribed by American mycologist Rolf Singer in 1951. Description Typically the cap of the fruit bodies ...

'') and the

clavarioid 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 fun ...

genus '' Multiclavula''. Several lichenized genera occur in tropical regions, the most common being the foliose '' Dictyonema''. Previously basidiolichens had been classified in their own subclass, Basidiolichenes. Molecular based

phylogeny A phylogenetic tree (also phylogeny or evolutionary tree Felsenstein J. (2004). ''Inferring Phylogenies'' Sinauer Associates: Sunderland, MA.) is a branching diagram or a tree showing the evolutionary relationships among various biological s ...

does not support classification of the genera together.

References

External links

BioImages
Several photos of ''Lichenomphalia umbellifera''
New Zealand Fungi
Images of ''Lichenomphalia alpina'' and its synonyms

Photos of several lichens, including ''Dictyonema'' Agaricales Fungal morphology and anatomy * {{lichen-stub