Gomphidiaceae

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Gomphidiaceae

Kingdom:	Fungi
Division:	Basidiomycota
Class:	Agaricomycetes
Order:	Boletales
Family:	Gomphidiaceae

Genera

Chroogomphus
Cystogomphus
Gomphidius
Gomphogaster

Gomphidiaceae is a family of mushrooms that are members of the Boletales or pored fungi. Unlike other boletes, all members of the Gomphidiaceae (except for Gomphogaster) are agarics, having gills instead of pores. Member genera include Chroogomphus, Cystogomphus, Gomphidius and Gomphogaster, the last being a monotypic genus (i.e. with a single species) which may be incorporated into Gomphidius in the future after molecular assessment. The similarly named genus Gomphus is unrelated to this family. Another genus Brauniellula has since been sunk into Chroogomphus.

Like all agarics, this group was formerly classified in the Agaricales. Nonetheless, many of the microscopic features of these fungi, such as spore shape, strongly suggested an affinity with the Boletales. This was later confirmed through molecular phylogenetic investigation, which demonstrated that the Gomphidiaceae are more closely related to boletes than the "true" agarics of the Agaricales and that the development of gills in this group was an independent evolutionary event from the development of gills in the Agaricales. ^[1] Molecular phylogenetic investigations have also demonstrated the Gomphidiaceae is nested well within the Boletales, being more closely related to the Suillaceae than to the Boletaceae, a finding that is supported by chemotaxonomic investigation of these groups.^[2]

This family of fungi has been thought to be ectomycorrhizal, forming symbiotic relationship with their host trees, however, there is now evidence that many (and perhaps all) species in this group are parasitic upon ectomycorrhizal boletes, in relationships that are often highly species-specific. ^[3]^[4]

[edit] References

^ Kuo M. (2005). The genus Chroogomphus. MushroomExpert.Com (website).
^ Besl H, Bresinsky A. (1997). Chemosystematics of Suillaceae and Gomphidiaceae (suborder Suillineae). Plant Systematics and Evolution 206:223–242. (abstract)
^ Agerer R. (1990). Studies on ectomycorrhizae XXIV: Ectomycorrhizae of Chroogomphus helveticus and C. rutilus (Gomphidiaceae, Basidiomyetes) and their relationship to those of Suillus and Rhizopogon. Nova Hedwigia 50:1–63.
^ Olsson PA, et al. (2000). Molecular and anatomical evidence for a three-way association between Pinus sylvestris and the ectomycorrhizal fungi Suillus bovinus and Gomphidius roseus. Mycological Research 104:1372–1378. (abstract)