''Hypoxylon'' is a genus of

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 ...

s commonly found on dead wood, and usually one of the earliest species to colonise dead wood. A common European species is ''Hypoxylon fragiforme'' which is particularly common on dead trunks of

beech Beech (genus ''Fagus'') is a genus of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to subtropical (accessory forest element) and temperate (as dominant element of Mesophyte, mesophytic forests) Eurasia and North America. There are 14 accepted ...

. Based on morphological studies and gene sequence analyses, 27 species formerly assigned to ''Hypoxylon'' sect. ''Annulata'' were reassigned to a new genus called ''

Annulohypoxylon ''Annulohypoxylon'', sometimes called cramp balls, is a genus of fungi in the family Xylariaceae. The 27 species in the genus have a collectively widespread distribution. The genus ''Annulohypoxylon'' was created in 2005 and contains species for ...

'' in 2005. Research in Iran has shown the potential of some species of ''Hypoxylon'' in producing chemicals that are antagonistic against the disease

ash dieback ''Hymenoscyphus fraxineus'' is an ascomycete fungus that causes ash dieback, a chronic fungal disease of ash trees in Europe characterised by leaf loss and crown dieback in infected trees. The fungus was first scientifically described in 2006 un ...

Use in the cultivation of ''Tremella fuciformis''

Some species in the genus ''Hypoxylon'' may be used in the cultivation of ''

Tremella fuciformis ''Tremella fuciformis'' is a species of fungus; it produces white, frond-like, gelatinous basidiocarps (fruiting bodies). It is widespread, especially in the tropics, where it can be found on the dead branches of broadleaf trees. This fungus is ...

'', one of the foremost

medicinal Medicine is the science and Praxis (process), practice of caring for patients, managing the Medical diagnosis, diagnosis, prognosis, Preventive medicine, prevention, therapy, treatment, Palliative care, palliation of their injury or disease, ...

and culinary fungi of

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

and

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

. ''Tremella fuciformis'' is a

parasitic Parasitism is a close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives (at least some of the time) on or inside another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life. The ent ...

yeast Yeasts are eukaryotic, single-celled microorganisms classified as members of the fungus kingdom (biology), kingdom. The first yeast originated hundreds of millions of years ago, and at least 1,500 species are currently recognized. They are est ...

that does not form an edible fruitbody without parasitizing another fungus. Its preferred host, formerly known as ''Hypoxylon archeri'', was moved to the closely related genus ''

'' and is now known as ''

Annulohypoxylon archeri ''Annulohypoxylon archeri'' (formerly ''Hypoxylon archeri'') is a saprophytic fungus species. It was moved from the genus ''Hypoxylon'' into the genus ''Annulohypoxylon'' erected in 2005 by Hsieh, Ju and Rogers. ''A. archeri'' is commonly used i ...

''. Cultivators usually pair cultures of ''Tremella fuciformis'' with this species, but mushroom cultivation books written before the new genus was created suggest other ''Hypoxylon'' species may be used.

Gallery

File:2008-10-18_Hypoxylon_sp._Bull_26073.jpg, ''Hypoxylon sp.'' File:Hypoxylon_Fragiforme.jpg, ''

Hypoxylon fragiforme ''Hypoxylon fragiforme'' is a multiperitheciate carbonaceous pyrenomycete known from Europe and North America. Description It is saprobic on wood, mostly beech. The semispherical lumps are up to wide and covered with 15–25 bumps in maturi ...

'' File:Přírodní_park_Baba314.jpg, ''Hypoxylon fragiforme'' File:Hypoxylon fragiforme & Dialonectria episphaeria 81209.jpg, ''

Nectria episphaeria ''Nectria'' is a genus of Ascomycete fungi. They are most often encountered as saprophytes on decaying wood but some species can also occur as parasites of trees, especially fruit trees (for example apple) and a number of other hardwood trees. ...

'' (red beads) growing on ''Hypoxylon fragiforme'' File:Hypoxylon fragiforme & Dialonectria episphaeria 81240-2.jpg, ''Nectria episphaeria'' growing on ''Hypoxylon fragiforme''

References

External links

Index Fungorum

Page with extensive information on the Hypoxylon genus

Xylariales Taxa named by Jean Baptiste François Pierre Bulliard Sordariomycetes genera {{Xylariales-stub

Use in the cultivation of ''Tremella fuciformis''

Gallery

See also

References

External links