''Blasiphalia'' is a fungal

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 n ...

in the family

Repetobasidiaceae Repetobasidiaceae is a phylogenetically defined family encompassing resupinate, poroid, stereoid, clavarioid, and agaric An agaric () is a type of fungus fruiting body characterized by the presence of a pileus (cap) that is clearly different ...

. A

monotypic In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unispec ...

genus, it contains the honey colored omphalinoid

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 "mushroo ...

br>
''Blasiphalia pseudogrisella'', which grows with the Marchantiophyta, liverwort genus ''

Blasia ''Blasia pusilla'' (Not to be confused with the rapper President of Blasia) is the only species in the liverwort genus ''Blasia''. It is distinguished from ''Cavicularia'' by the presence of a collar around the base of the sporophyte capsule, a ...

''.

Phylogenetically In biology, phylogenetics (; from Greek φυλή/ φῦλον [] "tribe, clan, race", and wikt:γενετικός, γενετικός [] "origin, source, birth") is the study of the evolutionary history and relationships among or within groups o ...

related agarics are in the genera ''

Rickenella ''Rickenella'' is a genus of brightly colored bryophilous agarics in the Hymenochaetales that have an omphalinoid morphology. They inhabit mosses on mossy soils, peats, tree trunks and logs in temperate regions of both the Northern and Southern H ...

'', ''

Gyroflexus ''Gyroflexus'' is 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'', ''Can ...

'', ''

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. Phylogenetically related agarics are i ...

'', ''

Cantharellopsis ''Cantharellopsis'' is a tan- to whitish-colored bryophilous monotypic genus in the Hymenochaetales. The fruit bodies of the single species ''Cantharellopsis prescotii'' has a form intermediate between an ''Omphalina'' and a chanterelle (''Cantha ...

'' and ''

Contumyces ''Contumyces'' is a genus of brightly colored possibly bryophilous or graminicolous agarics in the Hymenochaetales. They have an omphalinoid morphology, and therefore were previously classified in ''Omphalina''http://perso.orange.fr/famm/Photos/B ...

'', as well as the stipitate-stereoid genera ''

Muscinupta ''Muscinupta'' is a fungal genus that produces small white delicate fan-shaped to cupulate fruitbodies on mosses. It is monotypic In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. ...

'' and ''

Cotylidia ''Cotylidia'' is a fungal genus characterized by small to moderately sized, white to palely yet brightly colored, stalked, fan-shaped to funnel-shaped fruit bodiehttps://web.archive.org/web/20070821184454/http://www.fungaljungal.org/family_pages ...

'' and clavarioid genus, ''

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'', ...

''. ''Blasiphalia'' is most similar to ''Rickenella'' and ''Contumyces'', and was only just recognized as a distinct genus in 2007 based upon

molecular A molecule is a group of two or more atoms held together by attractive forces known as chemical bonds; depending on context, the term may or may not include ions which satisfy this criterion. In quantum physics, organic chemistry, and bioch ...

analysis. The fungus is unique in

parasitizing Parasitism is a close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives on or inside another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life. The entomologist E. O. Wilson ha ...

''Blasia

by forming clasping

appresoria An appressorium is a specialized cell typical of many fungal plant pathogens that is used to infect host plants. It is a flattened, hyphal "pressing" organ, from which a minute infection peg grows and enters the host, using turgor pressure capable ...

on its host's

rhizoid Rhizoids are protuberances that extend from the lower epidermal cells of bryophytes and algae. They are similar in structure and function to the root hairs of vascular land plants. Similar structures are formed by some fungi. Rhizoids may be u ...

s. Its

basidiospore A basidiospore is a reproductive spore produced by Basidiomycete fungi, a grouping that includes mushrooms, shelf fungi, rusts, and smuts. Basidiospores typically each contain one haploid nucleus that is the product of meiosis, and they are p ...

s also germinate on the host's gemmae and clasp them and therefore can be disseminated together with the gemmae.

Etymology

''Blasiphalia'' is a nonsense, nontraditionally formulated name vaguely referring to the liverwort genus ''

'' and a fragment of the word 'omphalia' in reference to previous classifications that would place it in ''

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 ...

''.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q4925310 Repetobasidiaceae Monotypic Basidiomycota genera