''Contumyces'' 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 brightly colored possibly bryophilous or graminicolous

agaric An agaric () is a type of fungal 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. It is a type of mushroom (or toadstool) ...

s in the

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 con ...

. They have an omphalinoid

morphology Morphology, from the Greek and meaning "study of shape", may refer to: Disciplines *Morphology (archaeology), study of the shapes or forms of artifacts *Morphology (astronomy), study of the shape of astronomical objects such as nebulae, galaxies, ...

, and therefore were previously classified in ''

Omphalina ''Omphalina'' is a genus of small agarics with white, nonamyloid, basidiospores and decurrent lamella (mycology), gills. Typically the pileus (mycology), cap has a deep central depression giving the umbrella-like to funnel-shaped cap the appearanc ...

''. They inhabit mossy or grassy silty or sandy soils in the Northern Hemisphere. Phylogenetically related agarics are in the genera ''

Rickenella ''Rickenella'' is a genus of brightly colored bryophilous (moss inhabiting) agarics in the Hymenochaetales that have an omphalinoid morphology. They inhabit patches of moss that grow on soil, tree trunks and logs in temperate regions of the pl ...

'', ''

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 in ...

'', ''

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 (''Can ...

'' and ''

Blasiphalia ''Blasiphalia'' is a fungal genus in the family Repetobasidiaceae. A monotypic genus, it contains the honey colored omphalinoid agaricbr> ''Blasiphalia pseudogrisella'', which grows with the Marchantiophyta, liverwort genus ''Blasia''. Phylogen ...

'', 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, containing the single species ''Muscinupta laevis''. The type species is better known under the name ''Cyphelloster ...

'' 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 bodie 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 fungi a ...

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' ...

''. ''Contumyces'' is most similar to ''Rickenella'' and ''Blasiphalia'' and differs by having its

cystidia A cystidium (: cystidia) is a relatively large cell found on the sporocarp of a basidiomycete (for example, on the surface of a mushroom gill), often between clusters of basidia. Since cystidia have highly varied and distinct shapes that are o ...

on 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. The origin of the word "cap" comes from the Old French word "chapeau" which means "head co ...

, stipe, and

hymenium The hymenium is the tissue layer on the hymenophore of a fungal fruiting body where the cells develop into basidia or asci, which produce spores. In some species all of the cells of the hymenium develop into basidia or asci, while in oth ...

in clusters, whereas in ''Rickenella'' and ''Blasiphalia'' the cystidia are solitary. ''

Lichenomphalia ''Lichenomphalia'' is both a basidiolichen and an agaric genus. Most of the species have inconspicuous lichenized thallus, thalli that consist of scattered, small, loose, nearly microscopic green balls or foliose small flakes containing single-ce ...

'' also may appear similar, but grows on mossy wood.

Etymology

''Contumyces'' is named after the contemporary amateur Italian mycologist, Marco E. Contu (professionally an Italian criminal court judge) and is a replacement for the illegitimate generic name ''Jacobia'', so named after

Jakob Emanuel Lange Jakob Emanuel Lange (2 April 1864 – 27 December 1941), was a Danish mycologist who studied the systematics of gilled mushrooms. His best-known work is ''Flora Agaricina Danica'', a five-volume plate work on the Agaricales of Denmark. He was also ...

by Contu, but unfortunately a later

homonym In linguistics, homonyms are words which are either; '' homographs''—words that mean different things, but have the same spelling (regardless of pronunciation), or '' homophones''—words that mean different things, but have the same pronunciat ...

of '' Jacobea'', a genus of flowering plants. The generic name was erroneously stated to be feminine but is in fact masculine because of the '-myces' base.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5166037 Repetobasidiaceae Agaricomycetes genera