''Myriostoma calongei'' is a fungal

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

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 ...

Geastraceae Geastrales is an order of gasterocarpic basidiomycetes (fungi) that are related to Gomphales. The order contains the families Geastraceae, which includes the "earthstars" formerly placed in Lycoperdales or Phallales, and also Schenellaceae, Sc ...

Basidiocarp 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 ...

s resemble earthstars, but the spore sac is supported by multiple columns (instead of a single column) and has multiple

ostiole An ''ostiole'' is a small hole or opening through which algae or fungi release their mature spores. The word is a diminutive of wikt:ostium, "ostium", "opening". The term is also used in higher plants, for example to denote the opening of the ...

s instead of a single, apical ostiole. The fungus was described from Brazil in 2017 as a result of

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 ...

. Previously, it had been identified as ''

Myriostoma coliforme ''Myriostoma coliforme'', commonly known as the saltshaker earthstar or pepper pot, is a fungal species in the family (biology), family Geastraceae. Basidiocarps resemble Geastrales, earthstars, but the spore sac is supported by multiple columns ...

'', now known to be restricted to northern, temperate regions. ''Myriostoma calongei'' can be distinguished by the conspicuously verrucose (finely warted) endoperidium. The species has also been confirmed from Argentina, Mexico, and the United States (New Mexico).

References

Fungi of the United States Fungi of South America Fungi of Mexico Geastraceae Fungi described in 2017 Fungus species {{Geastrales-stub