''Mucronella'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

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

in the family Clavariaceae. Species in the genus resemble awl-shaped teeth that grow in groups without a common subiculum (supporting layer of

mycelium Mycelium (plural mycelia) is a root-like structure of a fungus consisting of a mass of branching, thread-like hyphae. Fungal colonies composed of mycelium are found in and on soil and many other substrate (biology), substrates. A typical single ...

Taxonomy

The

type species In zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the species that contains the biological type specimen ...

was originally named ''Hydnum calvum'' in a collaborative effort by the German botanist

Johannes Baptista von Albertini Johannes Baptista von Albertini (17 February 1769 – 6 December 1831) was a German botanist, mycologist and clergyman of the Moravian Church. He was born in the town of Neuwied. He studied theology in Niesky and at the seminary in Barby. During ...

and the American Lewis David de Schweinitz in 1805. Swedish mycologist

Elias Magnus Fries Elias Magnus Fries (15 August 1794 – 8 February 1878) was a Swedish mycologist and botanist. Career Fries was born at Femsjö (Hylte Municipality), Småland, the son of the pastor there. He attended school in Växjö. He acquired ...

transferred the species to the newly described genus ''Mucronella'' in 1874.

Molecular phylogenetic Molecular phylogenetics () is the branch of phylogeny that analyzes genetic, hereditary molecular differences, predominantly in DNA sequences, to gain information on an organism's evolutionary relationships. From these analyses, it is possible to ...

analysis suggests that the genus is

monophyletic In cladistics for a group of organisms, monophyly is the condition of being a clade—that is, a group of taxa composed only of a common ancestor (or more precisely an ancestral population) and all of its lineal descendants. Monophyletic gro ...

, and is sister to the remainder of the Clavariaceae, confirming earlier suspicions that the taxa were phylogenetically related. It had previously been placed in the

Russulales The Russulales are an order of the Agaricomycetes, (which include the agaric genera ''Russula'' and '' Lactarius'' and their polyporoid and corticioid relatives). According to the ''Dictionary of the Fungi'' (10th edition, 2008), the order con ...

due to its amyloid spores, and its morphological similarity to some members of genus '' Hericium''.

Description

Fruitbodies of ''Mucronella'' species resemble hanging spines; they occur singly, scattered, or in groups. Colors range from white to yellow to orange. ''Mucronella'' has a monomitic

hypha A hypha (; ) is a long, branching, filamentous structure of a fungus, oomycete, or actinobacterium. In most fungi, hyphae are the main mode of vegetative growth, and are collectively called a mycelium. Structure A hypha consists of one or ...

l system —consisting of only generative hyphae. The basidia (spore-bearing cells) are four-spored and club shaped. Basidiospores are usually smooth with thin walls, weakly amyloid, and somewhat

hyaline A hyaline substance is one with a glassy appearance. The word is derived from el, ὑάλινος, translit=hyálinos, lit=transparent, and el, ὕαλος, translit=hýalos, lit=crystal, glass, label=none. Histopathology Hyaline cartilage is ...

(translucent). ''Mucronella'' is the sole genus in the Clavariaceae with amyloid spores, and with the "hanging spine" fruitbody morphology.

Habitat and distribution

''Mucronella'' species are

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 (f ...

. Kartar Singh Thind and I.P.S. Khurana identified five species from the northwestern

Himalayas The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 100 ...

, India, in 1974: '' M. bresadolae'', '' M. calva'', '' M. flava'', '' M. subalpina'', and '' M. pulchra''.

Species

2011-11-22 Mucronella flava Corner 183988

, Index Fungorum accepts 17 species of ''Mucronella'': *'' Mucronella albidula'' (Corner) Berthier 1985 *'' Mucronella argentina'' Speg. 1898 – South America *'' Mucronella belalongensis'' P.Roberts 1998 –

Brunei Brunei ( , ), formally Brunei Darussalam ( ms, Negara Brunei Darussalam, Jawi alphabet, Jawi: , ), is a country located on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Apart from its South China Sea coast, it is completely sur ...

*'' Mucronella brasiliensis'' Corner 1950 – South America *'' Mucronella bresadolae'' (Quél.) Corner 1970 *'' Mucronella calva'' (Alb. & Schwein.) Fr. 1874 *'' Mucronella flava'' Corner 1953 *'' Mucronella fusiformis'' (Kauffman) K.A.Harrison 1972 *''

Mucronella minutissima ''Mucronella'' is a genus of fungi in the family Clavariaceae. Species in the genus resemble awl-shaped teeth that grow in groups without a common subiculum (supporting layer of mycelium). Taxonomy The type species was originally named ''Hydnu ...

'' Peck 1891 *'' Mucronella pendula'' (Massee) R.H.Petersen 1980 – Australia *'' Mucronella polyporacea'' Velen. 1922 – Europe *'' Mucronella pulchra'' Corner 1970 – Pakistan *'' Mucronella pusilla'' Corner 1950 *'' Mucronella ramosa'' Lloyd 1922 *'' Mucronella styriaca'' Maas Geest. 1977 – Europe *'' Mucronella subalpina'' K.S.Thind & Khurana 1974 – India *'' Mucronella togoensis'' Henn. 1897 – Africa

References

External links