Blasiphalia
Genus of fungi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Blasiphalia is a fungal genus in the family Repetobasidiaceae. A monotypic genus, it contains the honey colored omphalinoid agaric , Blasiphalia pseudogrisella, which grows with the liverwort genus Blasia.[1] Phylogenetically related agarics are in the genera Rickenella, Gyroflexus, Loreleia, Cantharellopsis and Contumyces, as well as the stipitate-stereoid genera Muscinupta and Cotylidia and clavarioid genus, Alloclavaria.[2] Blasiphalia is most similar to Rickenella and Contumyces, and was only just recognized as a distinct genus in 2007 based upon molecular analysis. The fungus is unique in parasitizing Blasia by forming clasping appresoria on its host's rhizoids.[3][4] Its basidiospores also germinate on the host's gemmae[5] and clasp them and therefore can be disseminated together with the gemmae.
| Blasiphalia | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Basidiomycota |
| Class: | Agaricomycetes |
| Order: | Hymenochaetales |
| Family: | Repetobasidiaceae |
| Genus: | Blasiphalia Redhead (2007) |
| Type species | |
| Blasiphalia pseudogrisella (A.H.Sm.) Redhead (2007) | |
Etymology
Blasiphalia is a nonsense, nontraditionally formulated name vaguely referring to the liverwort genus Blasia and a fragment of the word 'omphalia' in reference to previous classifications that would place it in Omphalina.[citation needed]