''Macrocybe'' 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 ...

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

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Callistosporiaceae The Callistosporiaceae are a family of fungi in the order Agaricales. The family contains six genera. All species form agaricoid basidiocarps In fungi, a basidiocarp, basidiome, or basidioma () is the sporocarp of a basidiomycete, the multi ...

Basidiocarps In fungi, a basidiocarp, basidiome, or basidioma () is the sporocarp of a basidiomycete, the multicellular structure on which the spore-producing hymenium is borne. Basidiocarps are characteristic of the hymenomycetes; rusts and smuts do no ...

(fruit bodies) are

agarics 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), ...

(gilled mushrooms) and were previously referred to ''

Tricholoma ''Tricholoma'' is a genus of 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 ...

'', but are all large, whitish, and

saprotrophic Saprotrophic nutrition or lysotrophic nutrition is a process of chemoheterotrophic extracellular digestion involved in the processing of decayed (dead or waste) organic matter. It occurs in saprotrophs, and is most often associated with fungi ...

(''Tricholoma'' species are

ectomycorrhizal An ectomycorrhiza (from Greek ἐκτός ', "outside", μύκης ', "fungus", and ῥίζα ', "root"; ectomycorrhizas or ectomycorrhizae, abbreviated EcM) is a form of symbiotic relationship that occurs between a fungal symbiont, or mycobion ...

). Recent

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, ...

research, based on

cladistic Cladistics ( ; from Ancient Greek 'branch') is an approach to biological classification in which organisms are categorized in groups ("clades") based on hypotheses of most recent common ancestry. The evidence for hypothesized relationships is ...

analysis of

DNA sequences A nucleic acid sequence is a succession of bases within the nucleotides forming alleles within a DNA (using GACT) or RNA (GACU) molecule. This succession is denoted by a series of a set of five different letters that indicate the order of the ...

, has shown that the genus is a natural,

monophyletic In biological cladistics for the classification of organisms, monophyly is the condition of a taxonomic grouping being a clade – that is, a grouping of organisms which meets these criteria: # the grouping contains its own most recent co ...

grouping, though the status of several species is uncertain. ''Macrocybe'' species have a tropical to subtropical distribution. The name is derived from the Ancient Greek words ''makros'' "long" and ''kube'' "head".

Description

The species form huge, pale, fleshy fruit bodies that often grow in clumps on dead wood in the ground. The weight of the cluster may exceed 30 kg. The caps are convex to depressed, and sometimes have a central boss (umbo), and are white to cream or pale ochre or grey. One species, '' M. titans'', has a cap that can reach a metre (40 in) in diameter. The white gills are sinuate. The flesh is white and does not change colour when bruised. The stipe is white and often has a swollen base. 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 white. The round to oval spores are less than 10 micrometres long and smooth.

Habitat

The species are saprotrophic, generally growing on dead wood in grass. One species, '' M. gigantea'', has been found growing on elephant dung in Kerala state in India, and '' M. crassa'' has been cultivated on horse manure in Thailand.

Edibility

Several species are edible and eaten locally in Africa and southern Asia. An undescribed species is eaten by the Patamona people in Guyana. Although edible, some species do contain traces of cyanide that require cooking to eliminate.

Species

Eight species have been described, though it is not yet clear that they are all distinct. *'' M. crassa'' – Sri Lanka, India (Kerala), Malaysia, Thailand *'' M. gigantea'' – India (West Bengal), Pakistan, Nepal *'' M. lobayensis'' – West Africa *'' M. pachymeres'' – Sri Lanka, India *'' M. praegrandis'' – Brazil *'' M. sardoa'' - Sardinia *'' M. spectabilis'' – Mauritius, Japan, Hawaii *'' M. titans'' – USA (Florida), Mexico, Caribbean, Central & South America

Description

Habitat

Edibility

Species

References

See also