''Cyttaria gunnii'', commonly known as the myrtle orange or beech orange, is an orange-white coloured and

edible An edible item is any item that is safe for humans to eat. "Edible" is differentiated from " eatable" because it does not indicate how an item tastes, only whether it is fit to be eaten. Nonpoisonous items found in nature – such as some mushroo ...

ascomycete 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 def ...

fungus A fungus (: fungi , , , or ; or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and mold (fungus), molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as one ...

native to Australia. It is a specific

parasite Parasitism is a Symbiosis, close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives (at least some of the time) on or inside another organism, the Host (biology), host, causing it some harm, and is Adaptation, adapted str ...

of myrtle beech (''

Nothofagus cunninghamii ''Nothofagus cunninghamii'', commonly known as myrtle beech or Tasmanian myrtle, is the dominant species of cool temperate rainforests in Tasmania and Southern Victoria. It has low fire resistance and grows best in partial shade conditions. It ...

'') trees.

History

English botanist

Miles Joseph Berkeley Miles Joseph Berkeley (1 April 1803 – 30 July 1889) was an English cryptogamist and clergyman, and one of the founders of the science of plant pathology. Life Berkeley was born at Biggin Hall, Benefield, Northamptonshire, and educated at ...

described the beech orange in 1848. In 1886, a New Zealand fungus similar to the beech orange was described as ''Cyttaria purdiei''; later, however, the two species were assumed to be the same. A

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

study has now found the Australian and New Zealand fungi known as ''C. gunnii'' to be two distinct species. New Zealand populations are restricted to ''

Nothofagus menziesii ''Nothofagus menziesii'', commonly known as silver beech, is a species of evergreen tree in the family Nothofagaceae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is widespread in the North and South Islands. It reaches a height of up to tall, with a tr ...

'' while the Australian ones are only found on ''

'' and are hence found in southern Victoria and

Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...

. The 1889 book 'The Useful Native Plants of Australia records that "This edible fungus is found on the branches of Fagus Cunnittghamii or native Beech. Tasmania." The evolution of the genus parallels that of the host genus ''

Nothofagus ''Nothofagus'', also known as the southern beeches, is a genus of 43 species of trees and shrubs native to the Southern Hemisphere, found across southern South America (Chile, Argentina) and east and southeast Australia, New Zealand, New Guin ...

''; hence ''C. septentrionalis'', the closest relative, parasitises Antarctic beech (''

Nothofagus moorei ''Nothofagus moorei'', commonly known as Antarctic beech, is a species of flowering plant in the family Nothofagaceae that is endemic to high altitude areas of eastern Australia. It is a tree, with simple leathery, glossy, egg-shaped to lance-sh ...

''), the closest relative of myrtle beech. Ancestors of the two species are thought to have diverged from the South American and New Zealand ''Cyttaria'' species between 28 and 44 million years ago.

Appearance and uses

The fungi form globose woody galls on their host trees, though they do not appear to spread through them. They are perennial and produce crops of fruit bodies annually. Said to resemble bunches of grapes, the fruit bodies appear in clusters in late spring and summer (November to January). Globular or pear-shaped, these can reach 2.5 cm (1 in) in diameter. They are covered by a membrane that bursts, uncovering a network of concavities. The

spore print 300px, Making a spore print of the mushroom ''Volvariella volvacea'' shown in composite: (photo lower half) mushroom cap laid on white and dark paper; (photo upper half) cap removed after 24 hours showing warm orange ("tussock") color spore print. ...

is black and the

spore In biology, a spore is a unit of sexual reproduction, sexual (in fungi) or asexual reproduction that may be adapted for biological dispersal, dispersal and for survival, often for extended periods of time, in unfavourable conditions. Spores fo ...

s measure 12 by 7–12

μm The micrometre (Commonwealth English as used by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures; SI symbol: μm) or micrometer (American English), also commonly known by the non-SI term micron, is a unit of length in the International System ...

Aboriginal Australians Aboriginal Australians are the various indigenous peoples of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland and many of its islands, excluding the ethnically distinct people of the Torres Strait Islands. Humans first migrated to Australia (co ...

have used the fruit bodies as food. The fruits have a consistency akin to jelly and are reportedly pleasant-tasting.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q10465417 Edible fungi Fungi described in 1845 Fungi native to Australia Fungi of New Zealand Parasitic fungi Leotiomycetes Taxa named by Miles Joseph Berkeley Fungus species