Gomphidiaceae

Taxobox
name = Gomphidiaceae

---

image_caption = "Gomphidius glutinosus"
regnum = Fungi
divisio = Basidiomycota
classis = Agaricomycetes
ordo = Boletales
familia = Gomphidiaceae
subdivision_ranks = Genera
subdivision ="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. Kuo M. (2005). [http://www.mushroomexpert.com/chroogomphus.html The genus "Chroogomphus".] MushroomExpert.Com (website).] 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.Besl H, Bresinsky A. (1997). Chemosystematics of Suillaceae and Gomphidiaceae (suborder Suillineae). Plant Systematics and Evolution 206:223–242. ( [http://www.springerlink.com/content/k131222547463841/ abstract] )]

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. Agerer R. (1990). Studies on ectomycorrhizae XXIV: Ectomycorrhizae of "Chroogomphus helveticus" and "C. rutilus" (Gomphidiaceae, Basidiomyetes) and their relationship tothose of "Suillus" and "Rhizopogon". Nova Hedwigia 50:1–63.] Olsson PA, et al. (2000). Molecular andanatomical evidence for a three-way association between "Pinus sylvestris" and the ectomycorrhizal fungi "Suillus bovinus" and "Gomphidius roseus". Mycological Research 104:1372–1378. ( [http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=64133 abstract] )]

References

Further reading

[http://www.mycologia.org/cgi/content/full/95/1/176 "The Gomphidiaceae revisited: a worldwide perspective"] by Orson K. Miller, Jr, "Mycologia" 95(1):176–183, January/February 2003.