Cyttaria
Genus of fungi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cyttaria (From Greek Kyttaros, meaning "cell of a honeycomb")[1] is a genus of ascomycete fungi. About 10 species belong to Cyttaria, found in South America, Australia and New Zealand, which are obligatory parasites of southern beech trees from the genus Nothofagus.[2][3][4] The "llao llao" fungus Cyttaria hariotii, one of the most common fungi in Andean-Patagonian forests, has been shown to harbor the yeast Saccharomyces eubayanus, which may be source of the lager yeast S. pastorianus cold-tolerance.[5][6]
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| Cyttaria | |
|---|---|
| |
| Cyttaria espinosae from Chile growing in a tree trunk | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Leotiomycetes |
| Order: | Cyttariales |
| Family: | Cyttariaceae |
| Genus: | Cyttaria Berk. (1842) |
| Type species | |
| Cyttaria darwinii Berk. (1842) | |
| Species | |
|
C. berteroi | |
Description
Morphology
Cyttaria was originally described by mycologist Miles Joseph Berkeley in 1842.[7] The ascomata of Cyttaria species are porous with an orange color. Each ascomata consists of multiple apothecia immersed in a gelatinous stroma.[8] Asci are 8 spored, inoperculate and amyloid.[8]
Distribution
Cyttaria is found exclusively on the southern hemisphere, being commonly found in southern Chile, Argentina, New Zealand and Australia. Its distruibution mirrors the one of Nothofagus.[4][9]
Ethnomycology
Certain species of Cyttaria were traditionally consumed by some indigenous groups in southern Chile and Argentina, and continue to be a part in local cuisine.[4][10]
