''Chlorophyllum'' is a
genus
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
of large
toadstools that are similar in appearance to the true
parasol mushroom (''
Macrolepiota
''Macrolepiota'' is a genus of white spored, gilled mushrooms of the family Agaricaceae. The best-known member is the parasol mushroom (''M. procera''). The widespread genus contains about 40 species.
Taxonomy
''Macrolepiota'' was circu ...
''). The genus ''Chlorophyllum'' was originally created in 1898, a time when spore color was the deciding factor for differentiating genera. It was termed in order to describe the poisonous green-spored ''C. molybdites'' which shared many characteristics of the mushrooms within the genus ''Lepiota'' but lacked the all important white spores. The name derives from Greek ''Chloro'' meaning green and ''phyllo'' meaning leaf (or gill in this case). It remained as a
monotypic genus
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 "unispe ...
until recently when modern DNA analyses concluded that many of the mushrooms contained in the genus ''Macrolepiota'' actually had more in common genetically with the ''Chlorophyllum molybdites'' than with the other members of the ''Macrolepiota''.
[, Volume 16, Number 2, Fall 2006.] The genus has a widespread distribution, with many species found in
tropical
The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the equator, where the sun may shine directly overhead. This contrasts with the temperate or polar regions of Earth, where the Sun can never be directly overhead. This is because of Earth's ax ...
regions. The best known members are the edible
shaggy parasol, a name applied to three very similar species ''Chlorophyllum rhacodes'', ''C. olivieri'' and ''C. brunneum'', and the poisonous ''
C. molybdites'', which is widespread in
subtropical
The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical zone, geographical and Köppen climate classification, climate zones immediately to the Northern Hemisphere, north and Southern Hemisphere, south of the tropics. Geographically part of the Ge ...
regions around the world.
File:Chlorophyllum molybdites DSCN3139.jpg, '' Chlorophyllum molybdites'' in Ranchi
Ranchi (; ) is the capital city and also the largest district by population of the Indian state of Jharkhand. Ranchi was the centre of the Jharkhand movement, which called for a separate state for the tribal regions of South Bihar, northern ...
, India
File:Chlorophyllum molybdites DSCN3144.jpg, '' Chlorophyllum molybdites'' in Ranchi
Ranchi (; ) is the capital city and also the largest district by population of the Indian state of Jharkhand. Ranchi was the centre of the Jharkhand movement, which called for a separate state for the tribal regions of South Bihar, northern ...
, India
File:Chlorophyllum molybdites gill DSCN3143.jpg, '' Chlorophyllum molybdites'' underside of the cap
List of species
, the nomenclatural database
Index Fungorum
''Index Fungorum'' is an international project to index all formal names (scientific names) in the fungus kingdom. As of 2015, the project is based at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, one of three partners along with Landcare Research and th ...
lists 28 species in the genus.
*''
C. abruptibulbum''
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C. africanum''
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C. agaricoides''
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C. alborubescens''
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C. arizonicum''
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C. bharatense''
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C. brunneum''
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C. demangei''
*''
C. globosum''
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C. hortense''
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C. humei''
*''
C. levantinum''
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C. lusitanicum''
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C. madagascariense''
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C. mammillatum''
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C. molybdites''
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C. morganii''
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C. neomastoideum''
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C. nothorachodes''
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C. olivieri''
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C. paleotropicum''
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C. pseudoglobosum''
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C. rhacodes''
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C. shimogaense''
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C. sphaerosporum''
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C. subfulvidiscum''
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C. subrhacodes''
*''
C. venenatum''
See also
* ''
Endoptychum''
References
External links
*
*
Key to ''Chlorophyllum'' in North America
Agaricaceae
Agaricales genera
{{Agaricaceae-stub