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Chapter 2: Fungi Classification and Nomenclature
Chapter 2: Fungi Classification and Nomenclature
The Kingdom Fungi is enormous, the identified species and those not yet classified add up to over
300,000 species. The majority of these species are microscopic fungi (yeasts and moulds, often
used for the production of antibiotics). A relatively small number of species have reproductive
systems known as mushrooms that can be easily observed.
In the field, fungi of various shapes and colours can be observed. Examples of common shapes
and appearances are the saddle or honeycomb shapes, coral shape appearances or egg-shaped
growing under ground, and finally the best known appearance, the umbrella shaped (with a cap
and a stipe). Similar variations exist in the colour, taste and smell of fungi. However, such
macroscopic observations are not sufficient to achieve a proper scientific identification and
classification of fungi and, consequently, microscopic studies are also necessary.
For the purposes of this guide the following classification is used (COURTECUISSE, 1994):
Kingdom Fungi
Division Amastigomycota
Subdivision Ascomycotina
Class Ascomycetes
Subclass Pyrenomycetidae
Order Xylariales
Subclass Pezizomycetideae
Order Helotiales
Order Ostropales
Order Pezizales
Order Tuberales
Subdivision Basidiomycotina
Class Phragmabasidiomycetes
Order Auriculariales
Order Tremellales
Class Homobadisiomycetes
Subclass Aphyllophoromycetideae
Order Cantharellales
Order Clavariales
Order Ganodermatales
Order Polyporales
Suclass Gasteromycetidae
Order Lycoperdales
Order Sclerodermatales
Subclass Agaricomycetideae
Order Agaricales
Order Amanitales
Order Boletales
Order Cortinariales
Order Entolomatales
Order Pluteales
Order Russulales
Order Tricholomatales
ASCOMYCETES.
They are called higher fungi along with the
Basidiomycetes. They differ from the Basidiomycetes in
their reproductive cells. Ascomycetes are characterised by
sac-shape sporanges of relatively big size (up to 400 m
[0.4 mm]) which are called asci, with spores inside, the
ascospores. These reproductive cells are surrounded
by sterile ones, the paraphyses, both are part of the
hymenium.
The most interesting species from a gastronomic and
commercial point of view are from the following genera:
Morchella, Helvella, Tuber, Terfezia.
Aleuria aurantia
BASIDIOMYCETES.
Their sporanges are club-shaped formations and
are called basidia; they carry basidiospores
attached to them through the intermediate of a
sterigma. The sterile cells surrounding them are
cystidia.
MODERN TAXONOMY.
In 1735 the Swedish botanist Karl von Linn, better known as Linneus, published a book in
Latin entitled Systema Naturalis. His work presents a general classification of plants, based
on morphological characteristics, following some rational and universal criteria.
Linneus divided plants and living beings in general, in large kingdoms according to their
morphological characteristics, which were then divided more specifically by TYPE, CLASS,
ORDER and FAMILY, to finally group the living beings the most similar by GENUS and
SPECIES.
KINGDOM
TYPE or DIVISION
CLASS
ORDER
FAMILY
GENUS
SPECIES
The success of the method relies on its objective and universal character. Animals and plants
that are discovered at a later date will follow the same rules of classification that the ones
already discovered; therefore the method is open and flexible.
This universal system of classification of living beings is called binomial system, because
each species is defined by two Latin or Latinised names.
A generic name, always with its initial in capital letter.
A specific name, in lower-case letter.
For someone starting to discover and learn about Mycology, this part is one of the most
unpleasant, as it contains a lot of strange and difficult names.
MYCOLOGICAL TAXONOMY
CLASIFICATION
ABREVIATION
TERMINATION
KINGDOM
K.
FUNGI
DIVISION
D.
-MYCOTA.
Sub.DIVISIN
s.D.
-MYCOTINA.
CLASS
Cl.
-MYCETES
Sub.CLASS
ORDER
Sub.ORDER
FAMILY
Sub. FAMILY
s.Cl.
-MYCETIDEAE
O.
-ALES
s.O.
-INEAE
F. (Fam.)
-ACEAE
s.F. (s.Fam.)
-OIDEAE
TRIBU
T.
GENUS
- g.
SUBGENUS
- sg.
SPECIES
- spp.
SUBSPECIES
- ssp.
VARIETY
- var.
RACE
- r.
ECOTYPE
- ecot.
-EAE
KINGDOM
D. GYMNOMYCOTA
FUNGI
D. DEUTEROMYCOTA
D. MASTIGOMYCOTA
D. AMASTIGOMYCOTA
Cl. LABOULBENIOMYCETES.
Cl. ACARPOASCOMYCETES
s.D. ASCOMYCOTINA
Cl. PLECTOMYCETES.
s.Cl. Erysiphomycetideae
s.Cl. Pirenomycetidae
Cl. HYMENIOASCOMYCETES
s.Cl. Loculoascomycetideae
s.Cl. Lecanoromycetideae
s.Cl.Pezizomycetideae.
O. PHACIDIALES.
DISCOM. NO OPERCULADOS
s.C.PEZIZOMYCETIDEAE
O. OSTROPALES.
O. LEOTIALES.
DISCOM. OPERCULADOS
s.O. SARCOSCYPHINEAE
s. O. PEZIZINEAE
Fam. TERFEZIEAE.
TUBERALES
Fam. TUBERACEAE.
Cl. TELIOMYCETES.
s.D. BASIDIOMYCOTINA
Cl. PHRAGMOBASIDIOMYCETES.
GRUPOS DE TRANSICION.
s.Cl. Aphyllophoromycetideae
Cl. HOMOBASIDIOMYCETES
s.Cl. Agaricomycetideae.
s.Cl. Gasteromycetideae.
O. CORTICIALES
S. Cl.
APHYLLOPHOROMYCETIDEAE
F. CORTICIACEAE
F. STEREACEAE
O. TELEPHORALES
F. BANKERACEAE
F. TELEPHORACEAE
O. HERICIALES
F. AURISCALPIACEAE
F. HERICIACEAE
F. CLAVICORONACEAE
O. HYMENOCHAETALES
F. COLTRICIACEAE
F. PHELLINACEAE
O. GANODERMATALES
F. GANODERMATACEAE
O. HYMENOCHAETALES
F. PHAEOLACEAE
F. GRIFOLACEAE
F. FOMITOPSIDACEAE
F. CORIOLACEAE
F. BJERKANDERACEAE
F. FISTULINACEAE
F. POLIPORACEAE
F. SCHYZOPYLLACEAE
O. CLAVARIALES
F. CLAVARIACEAE
F. CLAVARIADELPHACEAE
F. CLAVULINACEAE
F. RAMARIACEAE
F. SPARASSIDACEAE
F. TYPHULACEAE
O. CANTHARELLALES
F. GOMPHACEAE
F. HYDNACEAE
F. CRATERELLACEAE
F. CANTHARELLACEAE
F. SCUTIGERACEAE
O. TRICHOLOMATALES
F. PLEUROTACEAE
F. HYGROPHORACEAE
F. TRICHOLOMATACEAE
s.F. Tricholomatoideae
s.F. Leucopaxilloideae
s.F. Lyophylloideae
F. MARASMIACEAE
F. DERMOLOMACEAE
O. AGARICALES
F. AGARICACEAE
F. COPRINACEAE
O. AMANITALES
- g. Amanita
- g. Limacella
s.Cl. AGARICOMYCETIDEAE
O. PLUTEALES
O. ENTOLOMATALES
O. CORTINARIALES
O. RUSSULALES
O. BOLETALES
F. PLUTEACEAE
F. ENTOLOMATACEAE
F. MACROCYSTIDIACEAE
F. RHODOTACEAE
F. CORTINARIACEAE
F. CREPIDOTACEAE
F. STROPHARIACEAE
F. BOLBITIACEAE
F. ELASMOMYCETACEAE
F. RUSSULACEAE
F. HYGROPHOROPSIDACEAE
F. OMPHALOTACEAE
F. PAXILLACEAE
F. GOMPHIDIACEAE
F. BOLETACEAE
F. GYRODONTACEAE
F. STROBILOMYCETACEAE
O.HYMENOGASTERALES
F. HYMENOGASTRACEAE
F. GASTERELLACEAE
O. MELANOGASTRALES
F. MELANOGASTRACEAE
F. LEUCOGASTRACEAE
O. LYCOPERDALES
F. GEASTRACEAE
F. LYCOPERDACEAE
O.SCLERODERMATALES
F. ASTRACEAE
F. PISOLITHACEAE
F. SCLERODERMATACEAE
O. TULOSTOMALES
F. BATTARAEACEAE
F. TULOSTOMATACEAE
O. NIDULARIALES
F. NIDULARIACEAE
F. SPHAEROBOLACEAE
s.Cl.GASTEROMYCETIDEAE
O. HYSTERANGIALES
O. PHALLALES
F. PHALLACEAE
F. CLATHRACEAE