''Nidula'' 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 ...
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 family
Agaricaceae
The Agaricaceae are a family of basidiomycete fungi and include the genus ''Agaricus'', as well as basidiomycetes previously classified in the families Tulostomataceae, Lepiotaceae, and Lycoperdaceae.
Taxonomy
The family Agaricaceae was publishe ...
. Their fruit bodies resemble tiny egg-filled birds' nests, from which they derive their
common name
In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often con ...
"bird's nest fungi". Originally described in 1902, the genus differs from the related genera ''
Cyathus
''Cyathus'' is a genus of fungi in the Nidulariaceae, which is a family (biology), family collectively known as the bird's nest fungi. They are given this name as they resemble tiny bird's nests filled with "eggs"structures large enough to ...
'' and ''
Crucibulum'' by the absence of a cord that attaches the eggs to the inside of the
fruit body
The sporocarp (also known as fruiting body, fruit body or fruitbody) of fungi is a multicellular structure on which spore-producing structures, such as basidia or asci, are borne. The fruitbody is part of the sexual phase of a fungal life cyc ...
. The
life cycle of this genus allows it to reproduce both sexually, with
meiosis
Meiosis () is a special type of cell division of germ cells in sexually-reproducing organisms that produces the gametes, the sperm or egg cells. It involves two rounds of division that ultimately result in four cells, each with only one c ...
, and asexually via
spore
In biology, a spore is a unit of sexual reproduction, sexual (in fungi) or asexual reproduction that may be adapted for biological dispersal, dispersal and for survival, often for extended periods of time, in unfavourable conditions. Spores fo ...
s.
Species in this genus produce a number of
bioactive compounds, including 4-(''p''-hydroxyphenyl)-2-
butanone
Butanone, also known as methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) or ethyl methyl ketone, is an organic compound with the formula CH3C(O)CH2CH3. This colorless liquid ketone has a sharp, sweet odor reminiscent of acetone. It is produced industrially on a large s ...
, a major component of
raspberry
The raspberry is the edible fruit of several plant species in the genus ''Rubus'' of the Rosaceae, rose family, most of which are in the subgenus ''Rubus#Modern classification, Idaeobatus''. The name also applies to these plants themselves. Ras ...
flavor and insect attractor used in
pesticide
Pesticides are substances that are used to control pests. They include herbicides, insecticides, nematicides, fungicides, and many others (see table). The most common of these are herbicides, which account for approximately 50% of all p ...
s.
Taxonomy
The genus ''Nidula'' was originally proposed by Violet S. White in her
monograph
A monograph is generally a long-form work on one (usually scholarly) subject, or one aspect of a subject, typically created by a single author or artist (or, sometimes, by two or more authors). Traditionally it is in written form and published a ...
on the North American species of the
Nidulariaceae
The Nidulariaceae ('nidulus' - small nest) are a family of fungi in the order Agaricales. Commonly known as the bird's nest fungi, their fruiting bodies resemble tiny egg-filled birds' nests. As they are saprobic, feeding on decomposing organ ...
, and included the species ''N. candida'' and ''N. microcarpa''.
The
genus name
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial spec ...
is derived from the
Latin
Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
''nidula'', meaning "little nest".
[Brodie, ''The Bird's Nest Fungi'', p. 142.] Although originally
classified
Classified may refer to:
General
*Classified information, material that a government body deems to be sensitive
*Classified advertising or "classifieds"
Music
*Classified (rapper) (born 1977), Canadian rapper
* The Classified, a 1980s American ro ...
in the family Nidulariaceae,
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 ...
s demonstrated that the Nidulariaceae are part of the agaricoid
clade
In biology, a clade (), also known as a Monophyly, monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that is composed of a common ancestor and all of its descendants. Clades are the fundamental unit of cladistics, a modern approach t ...
,
and ''Nidula'' was later transferred to the family Agaricaceae.
Description
The fruit bodies (''peridia'') of ''Nidula'' species are typically 3–8 mm in diameter, 5–15 mm tall, and cup- or
urn
An urn is a vase, often with a cover, with a typically narrowed neck above a rounded body and a footed pedestal. Describing a vessel as an "urn", as opposed to a vase or other terms, generally reflects its use rather than any particular shape ...
-shaped—having almost vertical sides with the lip flared outwards. Depending on the species, the color may range from white, grey,
buff, or
tawny.
The peridia are covered on the external surface with closely matted, shaggy hairs, technically called a
tomentum. Immature peridia have a membrane covering the mouth (an ''
epiphragm''), which later ruptures into 4–7 lobes when mature. The "eggs", or peridioles, are numerous, grey-brown or reddish-brown in color, and embedded in a gelatinous matrix when young and fresh. In contrast to other genera of the
Nidulariaceae
The Nidulariaceae ('nidulus' - small nest) are a family of fungi in the order Agaricales. Commonly known as the bird's nest fungi, their fruiting bodies resemble tiny egg-filled birds' nests. As they are saprobic, feeding on decomposing organ ...
, such as ''
Cyathus
''Cyathus'' is a genus of fungi in the Nidulariaceae, which is a family (biology), family collectively known as the bird's nest fungi. They are given this name as they resemble tiny bird's nests filled with "eggs"structures large enough to ...
'' or ''
Crucibulum'', the peridioles of the ''Nidula'' are not attached to the peridia by a cord of
mycelia
Mycelium (: mycelia) is a root-like structure of a fungus consisting of a mass of branching, thread-like hyphae. Its normal form is that of branched, slender, entangled, anastomosing, hyaline threads. Fungal colonies composed of mycelium are fo ...
known as a
funiculus.
Spore
In biology, a spore is a unit of sexual reproduction, sexual (in fungi) or asexual reproduction that may be adapted for biological dispersal, dispersal and for survival, often for extended periods of time, in unfavourable conditions. Spores fo ...
s are ovoid to elliptical in shape, thick-walled, light brown, and have dimensions of 8–10 by 4–6 μm.
Life cycle
The
life cycle of the genus ''Nidula'', which contains both
haploid
Ploidy () is the number of complete sets of chromosomes in a cell (biology), cell, and hence the number of possible alleles for Autosome, autosomal and Pseudoautosomal region, pseudoautosomal genes. Here ''sets of chromosomes'' refers to the num ...
and
diploid
Ploidy () is the number of complete sets of chromosomes in a cell, and hence the number of possible alleles for autosomal and pseudoautosomal genes. Here ''sets of chromosomes'' refers to the number of maternal and paternal chromosome copies, ...
stages, is typical of taxa in the
basidiomycetes
Basidiomycota () is one of two large division (mycology), divisions that, together with the Ascomycota, constitute the subkingdom Dikarya (often referred to as the "higher fungi") within the kingdom Fungi. Members are known as basidiomycetes. Mor ...
that can reproduce both asexually (via
vegetative spores), or sexually (with
meiosis
Meiosis () is a special type of cell division of germ cells in sexually-reproducing organisms that produces the gametes, the sperm or egg cells. It involves two rounds of division that ultimately result in four cells, each with only one c ...
).
Basidiospore
A basidiospore is a reproductive spore produced by basidiomycete fungi, a grouping that includes mushrooms, shelf fungi, rusts, and smuts. Basidiospores typically each contain one haploid
Ploidy () is the number of complete sets of chromos ...
s produced in the peridioles each contain a single haploid nucleus. After dispersal, the spores germinate and grow into
homokaryotic Monokaryotic (adj.) is a term used to refer to multinucleate cells where all nuclei are genetically identical. In multinucleate cells, nuclei share one common cytoplasm, as is found in hyphal cells or mycelium of filamentous fungi.
See also
*Dika ...
hyphae, with a single nucleus in each compartment. When two homokaryotic
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 o ...
e of different
mating compatibility groups fuse with one another, they form a
dikaryotic
The dikaryon (karyogamy) is a cell nucleus feature that is unique to certain fungi. (The green alga ''Derbesia'' had been long considered an exception, until the heterokaryotic hypothesis was challenged by later studies.) Compatible cell-types ca ...
mycelia in a process called
plasmogamy
Plasmogamy is a stage in the sexual reproduction of fungi, in which the protoplasm of two parent cells (usually from the mycelia) fuse without the fusion of nuclei, effectively bringing two haploid nuclei close together in the same cell. This st ...
. Like other members of the Nidulariaceae, species in ''Nidula'' have a heterothallic (bifactorial) mating system.
After a period of time and under the appropriate environmental conditions, fruit bodies may be formed from the dikaryotic mycelia. These fruit bodies produce peridioles containing the
basidia
A basidium (: basidia) is a microscopic spore-producing structure found on the hymenophore of reproductive bodies of basidiomycete fungi. The presence of basidia is one of the main characteristic features of the group. These bodies are also ...
upon which new basidiospores are made. Young basidia contain a pair of haploid sexually compatible nuclei which fuse, and the resulting diploid fusion nucleus undergoes meiosis to produce haploid basidiospores.
Species
There are five extant and one extinct species of ''Nidula'':
* ''N. baltica''
:Described in 2014 from a fossil found in
Baltic amber
Baltic amber or succinite is amber from the Baltic region, home of its largest known deposits. It was produced sometime during the Eocene epoch, but exactly when is controversial. It has been estimated that this forested region provided the re ...
.
* ''N. candida''
: Peridia are 10 to 15 mm tall, grey to dark buff, with a recurved rim at maturity. The peridioles are 1.5–2 mm wide, and light grey-brown, and smooth. The
spores
In biology, a spore is a unit of sexual (in fungi) or asexual reproduction that may be adapted for dispersal and for survival, often for extended periods of time, in unfavourable conditions. Spores form part of the life cycles of many plant ...
are elliptical, with dimensions of 4–6 by 8–10
μm
The micrometre (Commonwealth English as used by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures; SI symbol: μm) or micrometer (American English), also commonly known by the non-SI term micron, is a unit of length in the International System ...
.
[Brodie, ''The Bird's Nest Fungi'', p. 144.]
* ''N. macrocarpa''
: Peridia are 5 to 10 mm tall, and white to yellowish in color; the rim is either straight or slightly recurved. Peridioles are 0.5 to 1 mm wide, wrinkled, and colored red-brown. Spores are elliptical or roughly spherical, with dimensions of 6–9 by 5–6 μm.
[Brodie, ''The Bird's Nest Fungi'', p. 143.]

* ''N. niveo-tomentosa''
: Peridia are 4–6 mm tall with rims that have a fringe of white hairs. Peridioles are
mahogany
Mahogany is a straight- grained, reddish-brown timber of three tropical hardwood species of the genus ''Swietenia'', indigenous to the AmericasBridgewater, Samuel (2012). ''A Natural History of Belize: Inside the Maya Forest''. Austin: Universit ...
-brown and 0.5–1 mm wide. Spores have an elliptical or roughly spherical shape, and are 6–9 by 5–6 μm.
* ''N. emodensis''
: Peridia are 4–6 mm tall by 4–5 mm wide at the mouth. The exterior surface is a grey color, the interior smooth and whitish. Peridioles are reddish-brown to black, have minute wrinkles, and dimensions of 0.5–1 mm. The spores are somewhat elliptical,
obovate
The following terms are used to describe leaf morphology in the description and taxonomy of plants. Leaves may be simple (that is, the leaf blade or 'lamina' is undivided) or compound (that is, the leaf blade is divided into two or more leaflets) ...
, or
pyriform
Piriform, sometimes ''pyriform'', means pear-shaped (from Latin ''pirum'' "pear" and ''forma'' "shape").
It may also refer to:
Anatomy
* Piriform aperture, more commonly known as anterior nasal aperture
* Piriform cortex, a region in the brai ...
.
* ''N. shingbaensis''
:Peridia are 6–9 mm tall by 5–7 mm wide at the mouth. Found in India, it differs from other ''Nidula'' in having a six-layered peridium.
Habitat and distribution
Species in ''Nidula'' have been found in
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...
, the
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 Earth's highest peaks, including the highest, Mount Everest. More than list of h ...
, and mountains in
Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
. ''N. niveo-tomentosa'' has been collected at an elevation of on
Blue Mountains in Jamaica.
Bioactive compounds
The ''Nidula'' are known to produce a number of bioactive compounds. ''N. niveo-tomentosa'' grown in
liquid culture makes niduloic acid (3-hydroxy-5-(''p''-hydroxyphenol)pentanoic acid), 4-(''p''-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butanol, ''trans''-4-''p''-hydroxyphenylbut-3-en-2-one, 4-(3',4'-dihydroxyphenyl)-2-butanol, 4-(3',4'-dihydroxyphenyl)-2-butanone, zingerone, 3-(''p''-hydroxyphenyl)-1,2-propanediol, and 4-(''p''-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butanone.
The latter compound is commonly known as "
raspberry ketone", one of the major chemicals contributing to the flavour of raspberries.
This chemical is used (in its
acetate
An acetate is a salt formed by the combination of acetic acid with a base (e.g. alkaline, earthy, metallic, nonmetallic, or radical base). "Acetate" also describes the conjugate base or ion (specifically, the negatively charged ion called ...
form) as an insect attractor in the pesticide Cue-lure,
structurally related to the
sex pheromone
Sex pheromones are pheromones released by an organism to attract an individual of the same species, encourage them to mate with them, or perform some other function closely related with sexual reproduction.
Sex pheromones specifically focus on ind ...
that female melon flies (sp. ''
Bactrocera cucurbitae
''Bactrocera cucurbitae'', the melon fly, is a Tephritidae, fruit fly of the Family (biology), family Tephritidae. It is a serious agriculture, agricultural Pest (organism), pest, particularly in Hawaii.
Identification
Adult fly
The adult melon ...
'') use to attract males for mating.
''Nidula candida'' contains the
sesquiterpene
Sesquiterpenes are a class of terpenes that consist of three isoprene units and often have the molecular formula C15H24. Like monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes may be cyclic or contain rings, including many combinations. Biochemical modifications s ...
compounds nidulal and niduloic acid, both of which have weak
cytotoxic
Cytotoxicity is the quality of being toxic to cells. Examples of toxic agents are toxic metals, toxic chemicals, microbe neurotoxins, radiation particles and even specific neurotransmitters when the system is out of balance. Also some types of dr ...
and
antibiotic
An antibiotic is a type of antimicrobial substance active against bacteria. It is the most important type of antibacterial agent for fighting pathogenic bacteria, bacterial infections, and antibiotic medications are widely used in the therapy ...
activities.
References
Cited works
*
{{Taxonbar, from=Q7030886
Agaricaceae
Agaricales genera