The Inocybaceae are a
family of
fungi
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 ...
in the order
Agaricales, the largest order of mushroom-forming fungi.
It is one of the larger families within Agaricales (gilled mushrooms).
This family exhibits an ectomycorrhizal ecology.
Members of this family have a widespread distribution 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 ...
and
temperate
In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (approximately 23.5° to 66.5° N/S of the Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ran ...
areas.
Taxonomy
The type genus of the Inocybaceae, ''
Inocybe'', was originally described by
Fries in 1821, as a 'tribe' within a broad mushroom genus, ''
Agaricus''.
In 1863, Fries elevated ''Inocybe'' to generic rank.
''Inocybe'', had traditionally been placed within the family
Cortinariaceae.
Despite this, Dutch taxonomist Walter Jülich placed the genus in its own family, the Inocybaceae. Later, the Cortinariaceae were shown to be
polyphyletic
A polyphyletic group is an assemblage that includes organisms with mixed evolutionary origin but does not include their most recent common ancestor. The term is often applied to groups that share similar features known as Homoplasy, homoplasies ...
.
Additionally,
phylogenetic
In biology, phylogenetics () is the study of the evolutionary history of life using observable characteristics of organisms (or genes), which is known as phylogenetic inference. It infers the relationship among organisms based on empirical dat ...
analyses of
RPB1,
RPB2 and nLSU-
rDNA regions from a variety of ''Inocybe'' and related taxa would support Jülich's recognition of ''Inocybe'' at the family level.
In their ''Dictionary of the Fungi'', Kirk ''et al.'' (2008)
did not distinguish between Inocybaceae and
Crepidotaceae, but rather merged them into one family they called Inocybaceae. The literature has since then split up the classification given by Kirk ''et al.'' (2008)
not only into Inocybaceae and
Crepidotaceae, but also
Tubariaceae and
Chromocyphellaceae.
Inocybaceae has only become an independent family somewhat recently. The family is now split into 7 different clades, all recognized with generic rank: ''Auritella'', ''Inocybe'' sensu stricto, ''Inosperma'', ''Mallocybe'', ''Nothocybe'', ''Pseudosperma'', and ''Tubariomyces''
''.'' It is estimated that ''Inocybe'' (the largest genus within Inocybaceae) contains ca. 1050 species; ''Pseudosperma'' with ca. 70 species; ''Mallocybe'' with more than 55 species; ''Inosperma'' containing 70+ known species; and ''Auritella'', ''Nothocybe'', and ''Tubariomyces'' containing an unknown number of species, but estimated to be in rather small numbers.
In a 2019 molecular study, Matheny and colleagues used six gene phylogenetic analyses to determine relationships within the family. They recovered ''Nothocybe'' as sister to ''Inocybe'', while members of ''Inocybe'' section ''
Rimosae'' formed a lineage that diverged from the ancestor of the preceding two, and hence reclassified it as a genus ''Pseudosperma''. Another branch gives rise to four lineages - the genus ''
Auritella'', what was ''Inocybe'' subgenus ''Mallocybe'' (now ''Mallocybe''), ''
Tubariomyces'', and ''
Inosperma'' (previously ''Inocybe'' subgenus ''Inosperma'').
Distribution
The Inocybaceae are widespread in north temperate regions, but also found in the tropics and the Southern Hemisphere. Members of this family have also been encountered in Africa, Australia, the
neotropics, New Zealand, the north temperate zone, the
paleotropics, Southeast Asia, South America, and the south temperate zone.
Ecology
Members of Inocybaceae are
ectomycorrhizal, which is a specialized form of
symbyosis with plants generally thought to be mutually beneficial. It is estimated that they can form mycorrhiza with at least 23 plant families.
Most species tend to prefer calcareous to neutrally-rich soils, and are often found at the edges of paths, roads, parks, or other urban habitats.
Some authors reinforce that members of this family would generally prefer more
calcareous soils and notes that this trait is well conserved.
See also
*
List of Agaricales families
*
List of ''Inocybe'' species
References
{{Authority control
Agaricales families