''Gerronema'' is a

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 ...

of small- to medium-sized lignicolous

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 ...

s with white, nonamyloid,

spores In biology, a spore is a unit of sexual or asexual reproduction that may be adapted for dispersal and for survival, often for extended periods of time, in unfavourable conditions. Spores form part of the life cycles of many plants, algae, ...

and

decurrent ''Decurrent'' (sometimes decurring) is a term used in botany and mycology to describe plant or fungal parts that extend downward. In botany, the term is most often applied to leaf blades that partly wrap or have wings around the stem or petio ...

gills A gill () is a respiratory organ that many aquatic organisms use to extract dissolved oxygen from water and to excrete carbon dioxide. The gills of some species, such as hermit crabs, have adapted to allow respiration on land provided they are ...

. The genus was

circumscribed In geometry, the circumscribed circle or circumcircle of a polygon is a circle that passes through all the vertices of the polygon. The center of this circle is called the circumcenter and its radius is called the circumradius. Not every polyg ...

by American mycologist Rolf Singer in 1951.

Description

Typically the

cap A cap is a flat headgear, usually with a visor. Caps have crowns that fit very close to the head. They made their first appearance as early as 3200 BC. Caps typically have a visor, or no brim at all. They are popular in casual and informal se ...

of the fruit bodies have a shallow to deep central depression, giving the

umbrella An umbrella or parasol is a folding canopy supported by wooden or metal ribs that is usually mounted on a wooden, metal, or plastic pole. It is designed to protect a person against rain or sunlight. The term ''umbrella'' is traditionally use ...

-like to funnel-shaped caps the appearance of a belly button, or a belly with a

navel The navel (clinically known as the umbilicus, commonly known as the belly button or tummy button) is a protruding, flat, or hollowed area on the abdomen at the attachment site of the umbilical cord. All placental mammals have a navel, although ...

. Similarly shaped agarics are said to be omphalinoid in appearance in reference to a morphologically similar genus, ''

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 ...

''. ''Gerronema'' differ from ''Omphalina'' by the absence of incrusting or intraparietal

pigments A pigment is a colored material that is completely or nearly insoluble in water. In contrast, dyes are typically soluble, at least at some stage in their use. Generally dyes are often organic compounds whereas pigments are often inorganic compoun ...

typical of ''Omphalina'', the occasional occurrence of bright colors, such as yellow or green absent in ''Omphalina'', by the restriction to decay of wood, and by the tough tissues composed of sarcodimitic hyphae.

Distribution

The species have a primarily

tropical The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred to ...

distribution, but also occur in Europe and eastern North America where they fruit during hot muggy, summer weather. One of the most common species in the eastern United States is ''Gerronema strombodes'

https://web.archive.org/web/20071015080552/http://fp.bio.utk.edu/mycology/images/Gerronema_strombodes.ht

Species

Index Fungorum ''Index Fungorum'' is an international project to index all formal names (scientific names) in the fungus kingdom. the project is based at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, one of three partners along with Landcare Research and the Institute of M ...

lists 55 species in ''Gerronema'': and a new combination was published in 2019. *'' G. aconquijense'' *'' G. albidum'' *'' G. albogriseolum'' *'' G. alutaceum'' *'' G. amabile'' *'' G. atrialba'' *'' G. bethlehemicum'' *'' G. brunneum'' *'' G. bryogeton'' *'' G. calongei'' *'' G. candidum'' *'' G. chrysocarpum'' *'' G. chrysocraspedum'' *'' G. cinctum'' *'' G. citrinum'' *'' G. collybiomorphum'' *'' G. corticiphilum'' *'' G. costaricense'' *'' G. cyathiforme'' *'' G. daamsii'' *'' G. daguense'' *'' G. farinolens'' *'' G. fibula'' *'' G. flammeum'' *'' G. glutinipes'' *'' G. hungo'' *'' G. incarnatum'' *'' G. infumatum'' *'' G. josserandii'' *'' G. laccarioides'' *'' G. longipes'' *'' G. majus'' *'' G. mariae'' *'' G. melanomphax'' *'' G. moseri'' *'' G. nemorale'' *'' G. nitriolens'' *'' G. oligophyllum'' *'' G. pantoxanthum'' *'' G. pseudomurale'' *'' G. reclinis'' *'' G. sanguineum'' *'' G. schusteri'' *'' G. sericeum'' *'' G. stevensonii'' *'' G. strombodes'' *'' G. subchrysophyllum'' *'' G. subclavatum'' *'' G. suboreades'' *'' G. subsericellum'' *'' G. sucrense'' *'' G. tenue'' *'' G. theophili'' *'' G. umbilicatum'' *'' G. virgineum'' *'' G. viridilucens'' (bioluminescent) *'' G. xanthophyllum''

References

External links

*''Gerronema'' (Google Images

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3761254 Marasmiaceae Agaricales genera Taxa named by Rolf Singer

Description

Distribution

Species

See also

References

External links